Premium
Impacts of Prime‐age Adult Mortality on Labour Supply: Evidence from Adolescents and Women in South Africa *
Author(s) -
Yamauchi Futoshi,
Buthelezi Thabani,
Velia Myriam
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
oxford bulletin of economics and statistics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.131
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1468-0084
pISSN - 0305-9049
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0084.2008.00504.x
Subject(s) - prime (order theory) , human capital , young adult , economics , demographic economics , labour supply , age groups , demography , labour economics , medicine , gerontology , sociology , economic growth , mathematics , combinatorics
This paper examines the impact of prime‐age adult mortality on the transition made by adolescents from school to the labour market and on female adult labour force participation decisions in South Africa. We find, first, that deaths of prime‐age adults significantly increase both male and female adolescents’ labour force participation as they stop their schooling. Secondly, the death of prime‐age adults in general also decreases school enrolment ex ante . Thirdly, female adults tend to join the labour force following the death of prime‐age adult males. These findings imply that prime‐age adult mortality increases labour supply and disrupts human capital formation.