文章基本信息

标题：The Effect of an Increased Minimum Wage on Infant Mortality and Birth Weight
本地全文：下载
作者：Kelli A. Komro ; Melvin D. Livingston ; Sara Markowitz 等
期刊名称：American journal of public health
印刷版ISSN：0090-0036
出版年度：2016
卷号：106
期号：8
页码：1514-1516
DOI：10.2105/AJPH.2016.303268
语种：English
出版社：American Public Health Association
摘要：Objectives. To investigate the effects of state minimum wage laws on low birth weight and infant mortality in the United States. Methods. We estimated the effects of state-level minimum wage laws using a difference-in-differences approach on rates of low birth weight (< 2500 g) and postneonatal mortality (28–364 days) by state and month from 1980 through 2011. All models included state and year fixed effects as well as state-specific covariates. Results. Across all models, a dollar increase in the minimum wage above the federal level was associated with a 1% to 2% decrease in low birth weight births and a 4% decrease in postneonatal mortality. Conclusions. If all states in 2014 had increased their minimum wages by 1 dollar, there would likely have been 2790 fewer low birth weight births and 518 fewer postneonatal deaths for the year. Previous research has consistently linked low income with increased risk of premature mortality throughout the life span. 1,2 As a stark example, the US excess infant mortality rate (defined in comparison with 4 peer countries) during the postneonatal period (28–364 days) is driven almost entirely by excess infant deaths among mothers of lower socioeconomic status. 3 Low birth weight is also a sensitive consequence of low income, has been established as one of the most important predictors of infant mortality, and increases the risk of deleterious health and economic effects into adulthood. 4 Alarmingly, more than 1 in 4 women giving birth in the United States are below poverty level. 5 Minimum wage standards are an important potential contributor to family economic security and, therefore, may influence maternal and infant health outcomes. Women, those with low educational attainment, young workers, and those in the service industry are more likely to be paid the federal minimum wage or less. 6 At present, minimum wage laws are prominent on the public agenda, being debated at city, state, and federal levels as a strategy to reduce growing income inequality and poverty. Economists have described the minimum wage as one of the most studied topics and have long examined potential deleterious market effects related to legislated increases in minimum wage. A recent review found no significant employment loss from modest increases in minimum wage, 7 although scientific debate continues. It is important to note that the current federal minimum wage ($15 080 annual income) is not sufficient to lift a full-time worker with 1 or 2 children above the poverty threshold ($15 930 and $20 090, respectively). Despite the established link between low income and ill health, few studies have examined how minimum wage policies affect health outcomes. 8,9 We have taken advantage of natural experiments in minimum wage laws across states and time over the past 30 or more years to empirically evaluate the hypothesis that increases in state-level minimum wages are associated with reduced rates of low birth weight infants and infant mortality. 10