Studies show the positive effects of more generous vacations after becoming law in Norway-ScienceDaily

Universal paid maternity leave is currently available in many Western European countries, but this is not always the case. A new study by Meghan Skira, an economist at the University of Georgia, examined the health of Norwegian mothers before and after the enactment of paid maternity leave in 1977. She found that the health benefits of vacations lasted for years after the child was born.

Skira, an associate professor at Terry Business College, collaborated with Aline Bütikofer, an economist at NHH Norwegian University of Economics, and Julie Riise at the University of Bergen. Their treatise, “The Impact of Paid Maternity Leave on Pregnant Women’s Health,” American Economic Journal: Economic Policy It appears in the February 2021 print edition of the journal.

Public health studies and some economic studies have found positive short-term benefits for women and children on long vacations after childbirth, but Skira and her co-authors approached differently. They were able to analyze the long-term health effects of paid maternity leave for thousands of Norwegian women, both before and after the vacation law came into force in July 1977.

“This rapid change in those who qualify for paid maternity leave provides a wonderful natural experiment,” Skira said. “It provides an environment where we can investigate the causal health effects of paid leave. Our findings show that having access to paid leave is important for mothers around the age of 40. It shows that it leads to the above profits. “

Women who gave birth after July 1977 were generally in better health in middle age, but were the biggest health promotion among low-income women who may not have been able to take full unpaid leave. Was seen. You can use it before the change.

Skira and her co-authors examined biometric data such as obesity index, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and diabetes rates in combination with self-reported pain rates, mental health, tobacco use, and exercise habits at age 40. I drew an overall picture of women’s health. ..

Women who could take paid leave had a 2.5% to 3.7% lower BMI than women who did not. They were 10% less likely to have high blood pressure. They were 16% to 18% less likely to smoke and 14% to 20% more likely to exercise regularly.

“We know that women are healthy at age 40, but we don’t know exactly why. There was no significant change in women’s income or employment through the reforms, so the impact of income on health. No improvement is expected. We speculate that reducing stress, prolonging recovery time from childbirth, and perhaps breastfeeding helped. ” “Further research into the exact reasons for improved maternal health would be worthwhile.”

This study shows a clear causal relationship between women who are at home after childbirth and women who become healthier as they grow older.

“In a typical observational study, you’ll be worried that people who take more vacations may have different ways of improving or deteriorating their health,” Skira said. “People who take longer vacations may be wealthier or have more family support, while those with more postpartum health problems may take more vacations. But here, with this rapid change in everyone’s access to paid vacations, concerns about choosing to take vacations are minimized. “

This was possible because the Norwegian Institute of Public Health is collecting health data for citizens around the age of 40 as a way to benchmark national well-being. The so-called Age40 program gave Skira and her co-authors access to vast amounts of childbirth, health, and income data for women who gave birth immediately before and after the 1977 law amendment.

Norway expanded its paid leave policies again in 1987 and 1992, but those expansions slightly improved women’s health at the age of 40, Skira said.

“There seems to be evidence of diminishing returns to leaf length,” Skira said. “But mother’s health is just one aspect of maternity leave to consider. As a result of children, women’s attachment to the labor market and their impact on employers are also important.”

As mothers continue to age in 1977, Skira decided to take long-term sick leave and disability insurance to see if the health benefits she gained in middle age made a difference in her retirement quality of life. I would like to consider using. She said it was too early to say what the long-term benefits of this policy shift would be.

“Although things have changed since the late 1970s, it’s important to understand the impact of this policy change, because vacation benefits are offered at a level similar to what the United States offers today under the Family Medical Leave Act. It’s because it’s been extended, “Skira said. “Therefore, our results may inform the current debate about family vacation policy.”