Effect of Forced Displacement on Health

Abstract

Summary The paper analyses health consequences of forced civilian displacement that occurred during the war in Croatia 1991–1995 which accompanied the demise of Yugoslavia. During the Serbo‐Croatian conflict a quarter of Croatian territory was ceded, 22000 people were killed and more than 500000 individuals were displaced. Using the Croatian Adult Health Survey 2003 we identify the causal effect of forced migration on various dimensions of measured and self‐assessed health. To circumvent the self‐selection into displacement, we adopt an instrumental variable approach where civilian casualties per county are used as an instrument for displacement. We find robust adverse effects on probability of suffering hypertension and tachycardia as well as on self‐assessed health and ‘Short form health survey’ health dimensions. Comparing ordinary least squares with instrumental variable estimates yields a conclusion of a positive selection into displacement with respect to latent health. Given the likely violation of the exclusion restriction, we use a method which allows the instrument to affect health outcomes directly and conclude that, even with substantial departures from the exclusion restriction, displacement still adversely affects health.

Mental Health, Human Capital and Labor Market Outcomes

“…In Columns 3 and 4 of Table 6, we present our preferred instrument set, which contains interactions of original instruments with several demographic variables. 12 In Column 3, the presence of psychiatrists significantly increases the use of therapy for previously married and white individuals. Access to low cost drugs through Walmart decreases therapy use, presumably as individuals substitute therapy for prescription drugs.…”

‘I lost over 700 tubers of yam but am glad I am still alive’: Implications of victimhood and displacement on conflict management – Insights from displaced farmers in North Central Nigeria

“…In the absence of timely and quality healthcare services, displaced farmers may develop a sense of neglect and frustration, leading to increased grievances and dissatisfaction (Malik et al, 2021). Also, the absence of mental health support and counselling services exacerbates the psychological burdens associated with displacement (Zilic, 2018). The cumulative impact of physical and mental health challenges can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and frustration among displaced farmers.…”

Education and Later-life Mortality: Evidence from a School Reform in Japan

“…𝑇𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡 is an indicator equaling 1 for treated cohorts born during the 1932-1934 "synthetic" cohorts and 0 otherwise. 12 𝑓(𝑄 ) now includes the interactions of our normalized running variable with both 1(𝑄 ≥ 𝐴𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑙)…”

“…13 The advantage of this approach is that it directly addresses relative age effects and provides the average effect for all three affected cohorts. The disadvantage is that running variable can take 12 Specifically, it takes 1 for three treated "synthetic" cohorts, namely, those born between October 1932 and September 1933, October 1933 and September 1934, and October 1934 and September 1935, and 0 otherwise. In practice, 𝑇𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡 dummy is replaced by each "synthetic" cohort dummy to be more flexible.…”