Forum Chair: Chao Ma
Associate Professor
School of Economics and Management, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
Chao Ma is an Associate Professor at the School of Economics and Management of Southeast University. He also serves as an Affiliated Research Fellow at the Institute for Global Health Development, Peking University.He received his Ph.D. degree from Nanjing University and completed his postdoctoral training at Yale University. His research focuses on health economics and health policy management. He has published as first or corresponding author in journals such as Management World, China Economic Quarterly, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, and Nature Communications.
Topic of the Speech:
The Way of Water: In-utero Exposure to Improved Water Access and Infant Health
Abstract of the Speech:
Access to clean water is vital to population health, yet the causal effects of in-utero exposure to improved water access on infant health remain underexplored, particularly among vulnerable populations and in terms of long-term impacts. Using nationally representative household survey data from China, we exploit the South-to-North Water Diversion (SNWD) project, the largest inter-basin water transfer project in human history, as a quasi-natural experiment and implement a cohort difference-in-differences design. We find that in-utero exposure to improved water access significantly reduces the risks of preterm birth and low birth weight. These health benefits persist into childhood, manifesting in greater height and weight, lower rates of hospitalisation and medical expenditure, and improved academic performance. The effects are particularly pronounced among some vulnerable groups, including female children, infants born to less-educated parents, and those residing in resource-scarce regions. This paper carries important policy implications regarding the substantial and enduring health returns to large-scale investments in water infrastructure, and highlights their importance in reducing early-life health inequalities.
