Inside The War on Poverty: The Impact of Food Stamps on Birth Outcomes
Authors:
Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, Douglas Almond, Hilary Hoynes
Tags:
birth outcomes, food stamps, infant health, safety net
Journal:
The Review of Economics and Statistics
Year Published:
2011
Policy Summary
This paper evaluates the health impacts of the Food Stamp Program (FSP) among women exposed to FSP three months prior to birth, and concludes that the sizable increase in income from FSP improved outcomes for both whites and African Americans, with larger impacts for African American mothers. These findings may be used to inform policy by pointing to the benefits of exogenous increases in income during pregnancy on birth outcomes as a way to improve infant health.
