Risk aversion and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

We here investigate the role of risk aversion in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The theoretical effect is ambiguous, as both COVID-19 infection and vaccination side-effects involve probabilistic elements. In large-scale data covering five European countries, we find that vaccine hesitancy falls with risk aversion, so that COVID-19 infection is perceived as involving greater risk than is vaccination

A machine learning approach to predict self‑protecting behaviors during the early wave of the COVID‑19 pandemic

Using a unique harmonized real‐time data set from the COME‑HERE longitudinal survey that covers five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden) and applying a non‑parametric machine learning model, this paper identifies the main individual and macro‑level predictors of self‑protecting behaviors against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) during the first wave of the pandemic. Exploiting the interpretability of a Random Forest algorithm via Shapely values, we find that a higher regional incidence of COVID‑19 triggers higher levels of self‑protective behavior, as does a stricter government policy response. The level of individual knowledge about the pandemic, confidence in institutions, and population density also ranks high among the factors that predict self‑protecting behaviors. We also identify a steep socioeconomic gradient with lower levels of self‑protecting behaviors being associated with lower income and poor housing conditions. Among socio‑demographic factors, gender, marital status, age, and region of residence are the main determinants of self‑protective measures

Whoever has will be given more: child endowment and human capital investment

Using a unique longitudinal survey from Ethiopia, we investigate whether resource constrained\nparents reinforce or attenuate differences in early abilities between their children. We propose a simple model that allows for sibling interactions. To overcome the endogeneity associated with measures of endowment, we construct a measure of human capital at birth that is plausibly net of prenatal investment. We estimate a sibling fixed-effect model to account for bias due to unobserved family-specific heterogeneity. We find that parents reinforce educational inequality: inherently healthy children are more likely to attend preschool, be enrolled in elementary school, and have more expenses incurred towards their education. Health inputs are allocated in a compensatory manner.\

Children’s Own Time Use and its Effect on Skill Formation

Using time use data from a longitudinal survey (covering Ethiopia, India, and Vietnam), the present study examines how the amount of time children spend on different activities impacts their acquisition of cognitive and noncognitive skills. Modelling the skill formation production function of children and extending the set of inputs to include the child’s own time inputs, the study finds that child involvement in work activities (paid or nonpaid) are associated with a reduction in both cognitive and noncognitive achievements. The results imply an indirect adverse effect of child work on skill development through the reduction of hours of study.</p

Family policy, intrahousehold bargaining, and child health

This study examines the effects of an exogenous change in family policy in Ethiopia on women empowerment and the allocation of resources toward child health. Empowerment is formalized as an unobserved latent variable based on a large set of questions pertaining to women's autonomy and decision-making power. Exploiting the time and regional variation in the implementation of the law, the study finds that early implementation of the reform increases women's access to information, literacy and education levels, and their assertiveness toward family planning and domestic violence. In addition, more decision power in the hands of women is found to have a positive impact on investments in the health and nutrition of children. The findings suggest that factors that do not enter the individual's preferences may affect outcomes for individuals and emphasize the role of intrahousehold heterogeneity. The results are robust to a battery of validity and specification checks

The Role of Early Intervention on Skill Formation

První kapitola je věnována zkoumání množství času, který děti stráví při různých aktivitách, a dopadu na utváření kognitivních a nekognitivních schopností. K danému účelu byla využita data z longitudinálního šetření, zahrnujícího Etiopii, Indii a Vietnam. Vytvořením modelu produkční funkce utváření schopností dětí, kde strávený čas při různých aktivitách představuje vstupní proměnnou, bylo zjištěno, že děti zapojené do pracovních činností (placené i neplacené) vykazují zhoršení kognitivních i nekognitivních schopností. Výsledky naznačují nepřímý vedlejší vliv dětské práce na rozvoj schopností v důsledku snížení počtu hodin věnovaných studiu. V druhé kapitole byl na základě longitudinálního šetření z Etiopie prozkoumán vliv omezených zdrojů rodičů na rozdíly mezi dětmi. Z důvodu možné endogenity spojené s měřením nadání je vytvořena míra lidského kapitálu při narození, která by měla být očištěna od vlivu prenatálních investic. Ve snaze snížit zkreslení odhadu v důsledku nepozorovaných specifických odlišností jednotlivých rodin byl využit fixed-effect model. Bylo zjištěno, že rodiče prohlubují nerovnost vzdělání, jelikož děti bez dědičných nemocí jsou častěji přijímány k předškolní docházce, zapsány k základnímu vzdělání a vykazují vyšší výdaje na vzdělání. V kontrastu s výdaji na vzdělaní jsou výdaje na...In the first chapter, I use time use data from a longitudinal survey (covering Ethiopia, India and Vietnam), to examine how the amount of time children spend on different activities impacts their acquisition of cognitive and noncognitive skills. Modeling the skill formation production function of children and extending the set of inputs to include the child's own time inputs, the study finds that child involvement in work activities (paid or nonpaid) are associated with a reduction in both cognitive and noncognitive achievements. The results imply an indirect adverse effect of child work on skill development through the reduction of hours of study. In the second chapter, using a unique longitudinal survey from Ethiopia, we investigate whether resource constrained parents reinforce or attenuate differences in early abilities between their children. To overcome the potential endogeneity associated with measures of endowment, we construct a measure of human capital at birth that is plausibly net of prenatal investment. Furthermore, we estimate a sibling fixed-effect model to reduce the bias due to unobserved family-specific heterogeneity. We find that parents reinforce educational inequality, as inherently healthy children are more likely to attend preschool, be enrolled in elementary school, and have...CERGEFakulta sociálních vědFaculty of Social Science

The Role of Early Intervention on Skill Formation

In the first chapter, I use time use data from a longitudinal survey (covering Ethiopia, India and Vietnam), to examine how the amount of time children spend on different activities impacts their acquisition of cognitive and noncognitive skills. Modeling the skill formation production function of children and extending the set of inputs to include the child's own time inputs, the study finds that child involvement in work activities (paid or nonpaid) are associated with a reduction in both cognitive and noncognitive achievements. The results imply an indirect adverse effect of child work on skill development through the reduction of hours of study. In the second chapter, using a unique longitudinal survey from Ethiopia, we investigate whether resource constrained parents reinforce or attenuate differences in early abilities between their children. To overcome the potential endogeneity associated with measures of endowment, we construct a measure of human capital at birth that is plausibly net of prenatal investment. Furthermore, we estimate a sibling fixed-effect model to reduce the bias due to unobserved family-specific heterogeneity. We find that parents reinforce educational inequality, as inherently healthy children are more likely to attend preschool, be enrolled in elementary school, and have..

Social Protection and Multidimensional Poverty: Lessons from Ethiopia, India and Peru

We investigate the impact of three large-scale social-protection schemes in Ethiopia, India, and Peru on multidimensional poverty. Using data from the Young Lives cohort study, we show the trend, changes and evolution of multidimensional poverty for individuals in program participant households. We follow a number of strategies to produce estimates that deal with non-random program placement. Our findings show that both the incidence and intensity of multidimensional poverty declined in all three countries over the period 2006 - 2016, more so for program participants than non-participants. We find positive short-term impact on asset formation, livestock holding, and some living standard indicators. In all three countries these positive impacts are sustained even in the medium and longer-term