The Relationship between Conflicts, Economic Shocks, and Death with Depression, Economic Activities, and Human Capital Investment in Nigeria

Jamison, Julian ; McGee, Kevin Robert ; Oseni, Gbemisola ; Perng, Julie ; Sato, Ryoko ; Tanaka, Tomomi ; Vakis, Renos

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: CONFLICT;    ECONOMIC SHOCKS;    DEPRESSION;    DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOM;    MENTAL HEALTH;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-8685
RP-ID  :  WPS8685

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This paper examines the links betweenadverse events, depression, and decision making in Nigeria.It investigates how events such as conflicts, shocks, anddeaths can affect short-term perceptions of welfare, as wellas longer term decisions on economic activities and humancapital investments. First, the findings show that exposureto conflict has the largest and strongest relationship withdepression, associated with a 15.3 percentage point increasein the probability of reporting depressive symptoms (from abase of 22 percent). This is equivalent to a reduction inannual per capita income of around US$52 (in present dayterms). Second, the study randomized the timing of themodule on adverse events with respect to the mental healthmodule. The analysis finds that individuals who werereminded about their history of adverse events (providedthat they had one) have a 6.5 percentage point higherprobability of reporting depressive symptoms. The final setsof results show that depression is associated with lowerlabor force participation and child educational investment.People with depressive symptoms are 8 percentage points lesslikely to work; this is driven by a reduction in engagementin agricultural activities for men and self-employment forwomen. In addition, households with a parent exhibitingdepressive symptoms spend 20 percentage points less oneducation. These results suggest that there is a direct linkbetween mental health, welfare perceptions, and decisionmaking, beyond the indirect link via exposure to adverse effects.