Speaker
Description
Using the nearest distances to Northern Vietnamese Army base as an instrumental
variable for exposure to Agent Orange, we investigate its long-term effects on education
and labor market outcomes of affected individuals in Vietnam. Our findings reveal
that a one-unit increase in the exposure score at the commune level is associated with
a significant reduction in education attainment, a decrease of 1.7 working days per
month, and a reduction of 0.4 working hours per day. These effects are particularly
pronounced among individuals who were born and continued to live in high-exposure
areas, with persistent adverse impacts observed among their children as well. Our results
remain robust after controlling for income and accounting for potential confounders.
Furthermore, we find that exposure to Agent Orange leads to a persistent reduction in
household and labor income by approximately 25%, highlighting the need for policies
to address the long term and intergenerational socioeconomic effects of Agent Orange
on the Vietnamese population.
| Keyword | Labor Economics |
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