NPC Working Paper #04-16
December 2004
Effects of Child Health on Sources of Public Support.
Nancy E. Reichman,
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Hope Corman,
Rider University and
National Bureau of Economic Research.
Kelly Noonan,
Rider University and
National Bureau of Economic Research.
Read entire working paper (PDF)
Abstract
We estimate the effects of having a child in poor health on the mother’s receipt of both cash
assistance and in-kind public support in the form of food, health care, and shelter. We control for
a rich set of covariates, include state fixed effects, and test for the potential endogeneity of child
health. Mothers with children in poor health are 5 percentage points (20%) more likely to rely on
TANF and 16 percentage points more likely to rely on cash assistance (TANF and/or SSI) than
those with healthy children. They are also more likely than those with healthy children to receive
Medicaid and housing assistance, but not WIC or food stamps.
Note: this research was conducted with support from the National Poverty Center's 2003 Poverty and Health Small Grants Program. Access additional papers developed with NPC poverty and health small grants.
