Effect of Stress on Later-Life Health : Evidence from the Vietnam War Draft

Cawley, John ; de Walque, Damien ; Grossman, Daniel

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: STRESS;    HEALTH;    OBESITY;    LONG-TERM HEALTH OUTCOMES;    VIETNAM WAR DRAFT;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-8063
RP-ID  :  WPS8063

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

A substantial literature has examinedthe impact of stress during the early stages of life onlater-life health. This paper contributes to that literatureby examining the later-life health impact of stress duringadolescence and early adulthood, using a novel proxy forstress: risk of military induction in the United Statesduring the Vietnam War. The paper estimates that a 10percentage point (2 standard deviation) increase ininduction risk in young adulthood is associated with a 1.5percentage point (8 percent) increase in the probability ofbeing obese, and a 1 percentage point (10 percent) increasein the probability of being in fair or poor health later inlife. These findings do not appear to be due to cohorteffects; the associations exist only for men who did notserve in the war, and are not present for women or men whodid serve. These findings add to the evidence on the lastingconsequences of stress, and indicate that induction riskduring the Vietnam War may, in certain contexts, be aninvalid instrument for education or marriage, because itappears to have a direct impact on health.