Study: “Essays on Water in Developing Countries”
PI(s): Peet, Evan
Affiliation(s): Duke University
Institutional Partner(s): IIE Fellow
Project Dates:
Start: 2011
End: 2013
Data Source(s): Panel Data (Indonesian Family Life Survey)
Methods: Household Fixed Effects Model; Latent Variable Model
Geographic Location(s): Indonesia

Description:
In Indonesia, only US$2 per person is invested annually in water and sanitation, far less than other low- and middle-income countries. Clean water is critical to maintaining proper hygiene during childbirth; therefore, readily available safe water could result in decreased maternal and infant mortality. The study examines the effects of piped water on infant mortality, the long-term effects on health in later life, economic outcomes, and how all these effects differ by gender. The researcher uses individual-level data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) to study measures of individual health and economic status, to see differential effects of piped water on men and women, and to use a semi-experimental design to control for household fixed effects. The results demonstrate significant beneficial effects of piped water on height, while its effect on two measures of weight is inconclusive.

Research Outputs:
Peet, Evan. (2011). Health and Economic Effects of Piped Water (Doctoral dissertation). Duke University, Durham, NC.

Peet, Evan. (2012). Environment and Health in the Long Term (Job market paper). Duke University, Durham, NC.