The Incidence of Pneumonia as Recorded in the National Health Survey

The Captain of the Men of Death and His Shadow: Long-Run Impacts of Early Life Pneumonia Exposure

“…Since pneumonia infections were twice as prevalent amongst the poor as among the rich (Britten, 1942), our findings suggest that the narrowing of early life health inequalities induced by sulfa drugs led to a narrowing of socioeconomic inequalities half a century later.…”

“…For example, infection rates were higher in the US amongst the poor, rural residents, and African-Americans (Britten, 1942). So, even if disease exposure had no causal effects on later life attainments, we would likely observe that increased disease exposure in childhood was associated with lower socioeconomic status in adulthood.…”

“…Indeed, surveillance data from the mid-1930s show that boys were 27% more likely to contract pneumonia in infancy than girls (Britten, 1942). Any biological differences may be moderated or reinforced by gender-specificity in the sensitivity of parental investments to health endowments.…”

“…Estimates from the US National Health Survey of 1934-1936 show a nationwide morbidity rate of 3 cases per 100 infants, with rates twice as high among the poor and those living in crowded conditions (Britten, 1942). However, it is likely that this represents a significant (at least two-fold) underestimate of the true pneumonia burden (Klugman and Feldman, 2009).…”

“…As discussed, infection rates and days of disability suffered by pneumonia patients in the pre-sulfa era peaked at birth and reached a minimum in the age group 10-24. The difference was a factor of eight to ten (Collins 1931, Britten 1942; Figure 1 below). Consequently we expect limited if any long run benefits of sulfa to be evident for individuals who were first exposed at, say, age 15 compared with individuals exposed at birth.…”