The impacts of the 2015 Gorkha earthquake on Children’s health in Nepal

Abstract

• This study uses the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) to assess the impacts of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake of Nepal on the children’s health outcomes using a difference-in-difference identification strategy. • The results show that the earthquake caused an increased prevalence of diarrhea, fever, and cough among children less than five years old in the earthquake-affected districts. • As indicated by the low vaccination rate, disruption of health services could be the primary mechanism behind the higher prevalence of listed health outcomes. • The results suggest that natural disasters could affect children’s health, especially in low-income countries with fragile health care systems and poor water and sanitation facilities. A 7.8 Richter-scale magnitude earthquake hit central Nepal in 2015, affecting multiple facets of the economy. This study explores the health impacts of this earthquake on the prevalence of diarrhea, cough, and fever among Nepalese children less than five years old. To this end, I use data from two recent waves of the Demographic Health Survey (2011 and 2016) and employ difference-in-difference as an identification strategy. Results show that the prevalence of diarrhea, cough, and fever was between 3.9 and 6.3 percentage points higher among children in earthquake-affected areas. These results are equivalent to an increase in diarrhea, fever, and cough cases among the children in earthquake-affected districts by 32.2, 35.5, and 25.7 percent, respectively. A drop in the vaccination rate suggests a lack of health care facilities in the earthquake-affected areas that could have contributed to child health problems. A decrease in the availability of clean drinking water in the earthquake-affected regions could also be a mechanism behind the prevalence of the diseases. Disaster-preparedness plans in disaster-prone low-income countries should prioritize child health by making necessary health care services available and ensuring the supply of safe drinking water.