The Effects of the War in Iraq on Nutrition and Health: An Analysis Using Anthropometric Outcomes of Children

The war in Iraq initiated in March 2003 triggered a wave of violence and turmoil in the country, exposing households to insecurity and to instability in daily life. The level of violence has varied across provinces, the south and centre areas being the most affected. Using the different intensities of the conflict across areas and the age at exposure to the war among cohorts, I analyze a possible causal effect of the war on nutritional outcomes of children. I use two empirical strategies, leading to very similar results. Estimates indicate that children born in areas affected by high levels of violence are 0.8 cm shorter than children born in low violence provinces. These results are robust to several specifications. Furthermore, the paper also addresses the channels through which the conflict has affected health and nutrition. The results have not only short-term policy implications, but also, given the empirical evidence of the impact of early child malnutrition on later education, labour and productivity outcomes, the results are of great importance for the future

Violent Deaths of Iraqi Civilians, 2003–2008: Analysis by Perpetrator, Weapon, Time, and Location

Madelyn Hsiao-Rei Hicks and colleagues provide a detailed analysis of Iraqi civilian violent deaths during 2003-2008 of the Iraq war and show that of 92,614 deaths, unknown perpetrators caused 74% of deaths, Coalition forces 12%, and Anti-Coalition forces 11%

The Effects of the War in Iraq on Nutrition and Health: An Analysis Using Anthropometric Outcomes of Children

The war in Iraq initiated in March 2003 triggered a wave of violence and turmoil in the country, exposing households to insecurity and to instability in daily life. The level of violence has varied across provinces, the south and centre areas being the most affected. Using the different intensities of the conflict across areas and the age at exposure to the war among cohorts, I analyze a possible causal effect of the war on nutritional outcomes of children. I use two empirical strategies, leading to very similar results. Estimates indicate that children born in areas affected by high levels of violence are 0.8 cm shorter than children born in low violence provinces. These results are robust to several specifications. Furthermore, the paper also addresses the channels through which the conflict has affected health and nutrition. The results have not only short-term policy implications, but also, given the empirical evidence of the impact of early child malnutrition on later education, labour and productivity outcomes, the results are of great importance for the future.health; nutrition; shocks; war; children; Iraq

Number (%) of 92,614 Iraqi civilian deaths by perpetrator and postinvasion year: From all armed violence, from short-duration violent events, and from long-duration violent events and aggregate reports.

a<p>Deaths from violent events of any duration that caused at least one reported civilian death and deaths from hospital and morgue aggregate reports (<i>n</i> = 92,614).</p>b<p>Deaths from short-duration violent events lasting 2 d or less that caused at least one reported civilian death (<i>n</i> = 60,481).</p>c<p>Deaths from long-duration violent events lasting over 2 d that caused at least one reported civilian death, and deaths from hospital and morgue aggregate reports (<i>n</i> = 32,133).</p>d<p>Unknown perpetrators had a civilian target of attack, while themselves being indistinguishable from civilians (e.g., sectarian and Anti-Coalition combatants and criminals that attacked civilians).</p>e<p>Anti-Coalition forces were identified by the presence of a Coalition-associated target of attack, as they generally did not wear uniforms or distinguishing marks in attacks.</p>f<p>Primarily Iraqi police and Iraqi military forces.</p

Victim demographics and DWI outcomes from perpetrators using particular methods: analysis of 60,481 Iraqi civilian deaths from short-duration violence, March 20, 2003 through March 19, 2008.

a<p>Of the total 60,481 deaths from short-duration violence, this Table shows 56,780 deaths attributed to these single perpetrator groups alone. Because of space constraints, we do not show the distribution of the 1,471 adult civilians of unreported sex attributed to “unknown,” “Anti-Coalition.” and “Coalition,” or the 2,230 deaths attributed to “other” or “crossfire” (which include <i>n</i> = 44 adult civilians of unreported sex from “other” or “crossfire” for the total of <i>n</i> = 1,515 adult civilians of unreported sex). Deaths were attributed to Unknown perpetrators if an unidentified perpetrator attacked a civilian target and to Anti-Coalition perpetrators if the target was Coalition or Coalition-associated.</p>b<p>Short-duration events lasting 2 d or less that caused at least one reported civilian death.</p>c<p>Unless noted, data are for events involving the single method used alone (e.g., small arms gunfire only, not combined gunfire and mortar fire).</p>d<p>Number (%) of men among the total of 17,939 men civilian victims from all perpetrators and all methods.</p>e<p>Number (%) of women among the total of 1,981 women civilian victims from all perpetrators and all methods.</p>f<p>Number (%) of children among the total of 2,146 child victims from all perpetrators and all methods. Within [ ] are shown numbers of boys, girls, and children of unreported sex.</p>g<p>Number (%) of unreported age among the total of 36,900 civilian victims of unreported age from all perpetrators and all methods.</p>h<p>“Woman and Child DWI”  =  (<i>n</i> women + children killed/<i>n</i> women + children + men civilians killed) × (100). Possible DWI range is 0 to 100 <a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000415#pmed.1000415-Hicks2" target="_blank">[15]</a>. Higher Woman and Child DWI outcomes indicate higher proportions of women and children among demographically identified civilian victims.</p>i<p>Included in Totals are deaths from “other,” “unknown,” or “combined” methods if attributable to the single perpetrator, not shown in the single-method rows above.</p><p>CUS, children of unreported sex.</p

Iraqi civilian deaths from perpetrators using particular methods: analysis of 60,481 deaths from 14,196 events of short-duration armed violence, March 20, 2003 through March 19, 2008.

a<p>Deaths attributed to a single perpetrator group alone. Of the total 60,481 deaths, 2,230 deaths were attributed to “other” or “crossfire” and are not shown. Deaths were attributed to Unknown perpetrators if an unidentified perpetrator attacked a civilian target and to Anti-Coalition perpetrators if the target was Coalition or Coalition-associated.</p>b<p>Short-duration events lasting 2 d or less that caused at least one reported civilian death.</p>c<p>Unless noted, data are for events involving the single method used alone (e.g., small arms gunfire only, not events of combined gunfire and mortar fire).</p>d<p>The extrajudicial killing of any captured individual by any method. Includes combatants extrajudicially executed postcapture, as after capture they become noncombatants protected under international humanitarian law <a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000415#pmed.1000415-Hicks2" target="_blank">[15]</a>,<a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000415#pmed.1000415-International1" target="_blank">[16]</a>. For executions only, “events” refer to events of discovering bodies, as events of killing by execution are usually hidden, and “mean” refers to number of bodies discovered.</p>e<p>Open small arms gunfire, not including executions of captured individuals by gunfire.</p>f<p>Included in Totals are deaths from events involving “other,” “unknown,” or “combined” methods if attributable to the single perpetrator, not shown in the single-method rows above.</p><p>SE, standard error.</p

Civilian deaths from short-duration violent events in Iraq's governorates.

<p>Reported civilian deaths from short-duration violent events lasting 2 d or less, March 20, 2003 through March 19, 2008.</p

Iraqi governorates: nonexecution deaths versus executions by Unknown perpetrators.

<p>Analysis of reported civilian deaths from short-duration violent events lasting 2 d or less, March 20, 2003 through March 19, 2008.</p