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Inequality in Child Mortality Persists Between Generations in the Netherlands, 1835–1919

van Dijk, Ingrid Kirsten LU (2025) In European Review of Economic History
Abstract
In historical the Netherlands, child mortality was distributed unequally between families and this inequality persisted across generations. Using family reconstitution data for the province of Zeeland (LINKS) containing over 200,000 children born 1835–1914, I show that mortality was higher among children under age 5 whose parents lost siblings under age 5. Intergenerational persistence was strongest from mothers to their children and particularly for mothers who lost siblings as infants in relation to mortality among their own infants. This intergenerational persistence of child mortality existed independently from socioeconomic differences in infant and child mortality. Inequalities accumulated, as child mortality was highest for low... (More)
In historical the Netherlands, child mortality was distributed unequally between families and this inequality persisted across generations. Using family reconstitution data for the province of Zeeland (LINKS) containing over 200,000 children born 1835–1914, I show that mortality was higher among children under age 5 whose parents lost siblings under age 5. Intergenerational persistence was strongest from mothers to their children and particularly for mothers who lost siblings as infants in relation to mortality among their own infants. This intergenerational persistence of child mortality existed independently from socioeconomic differences in infant and child mortality. Inequalities accumulated, as child mortality was highest for low socioeconomic status (SES) children whose parents originated from high-mortality, low-SES families. Intergenerational transmission in child mortality persisted even when child mortality had declined in the early twentieth century. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
in
European Review of Economic History
publisher
Oxford University Press
ISSN
1474-0044
DOI
10.1093/ereh/heaf019
project
Ett långt och hälsosamt liv? Mekanismer för hälsosamt åldrande hos svenska och nederländska långlivade familjer (1813-2021)
Relative Health: Long-Run Inequalities in Health and Survival Between Families and Across Generations
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
167ddfc9-d9e6-44f2-8ce9-6442ca678bb3
date added to LUP
2025-11-07 11:45:47
date last changed
2025-11-07 12:49:40
@article{167ddfc9-d9e6-44f2-8ce9-6442ca678bb3,
  abstract     = {{In historical the Netherlands, child mortality was distributed unequally between families and this inequality persisted across generations. Using family reconstitution data for the province of Zeeland (LINKS) containing over 200,000 children born 1835–1914, I show that mortality was higher among children under age 5 whose parents lost siblings under age 5. Intergenerational persistence was strongest from mothers to their children and particularly for mothers who lost siblings as infants in relation to mortality among their own infants. This intergenerational persistence of child mortality existed independently from socioeconomic differences in infant and child mortality. Inequalities accumulated, as child mortality was highest for low socioeconomic status (SES) children whose parents originated from high-mortality, low-SES families. Intergenerational transmission in child mortality persisted even when child mortality had declined in the early twentieth century.}},
  author       = {{van Dijk, Ingrid Kirsten}},
  issn         = {{1474-0044}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{European Review of Economic History}},
  title        = {{Inequality in Child Mortality Persists Between Generations in the Netherlands, 1835–1919}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/232403643/2025b_vanDijk.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/ereh/heaf019}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}