Intergenerational transmission of capabilities: mothers and children in sub-Saharan Africa

Omar Karlsson, Lund University
Martin Dribe, Lund University

Childhood conditions are important for adult health and socioeconomic status (SES). Child capability formation (health and education) are to some extent determined by health and SES of parents who provide care and make capability forming investments for their children. Even in developed countries with low disease exposure and good health service there has been observed intergenerational transmission of health and SES from parents to children through childhood conditions. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) transmission is expected to be greater due to lack of health care, harmful disease environment and vulnerable food security. In this paper intergenerational transmission of capabilities from mother to child in SSA will be studied. The focus will be on if maternal health, cognition, and abilities determined by mother’s childhood conditions influences child mortality, growth, and education attainment. The main results are that maternal capabilities have a consistent influence on child health but education is an important pathway.