The Impact of the Economic Crisis on the Well-Being of Families in Brazil

Abstract

This study examines the impact of the economic crisis occurred in Brazil in the years 1987 to 1991 on the well-being of families. The outcomes of interest are measures of education, health and poverty. Our main findings are that and economic crisis: i) reduces the probability that children of an age to begin school will actually do so, and increases that they will be delayed in school later on compared to other cohorts; ii) crisis increases the probability that a child will die before six months of age compared to other cohorts; and iii) increases the incidence of poverty in general for the overall population and has a strong negative impact among young children. Taken together, the results suggest that, given the absence of solid safety nets at that time, the economic crisis had deleterious effects on the well-being of families.economic crisis, Brazil, family well-being, education, health, and poverty