b'The Pulte InstituteforGlobal DevelopmentEconomist Investigates How Anemia Impacts Education in IndiaIn low- and middle-income countries, anemia reduction effortsSantosh Kumars research focuses on the economics of global health are often touted as a way to improve educational outcomesand economic development in low- and middle-income countries.and reduce poverty. A new study, co-authored by global health economics expert Santosh Kumar, evaluates the relationship between anemia and school attendance in India, debunking earlier research that could have misguided policy interventions. Kumar, associate professor of development and global health economics at the Keough School and core affiliated faculty with the Pulte Institute, co-authored the study which was published in Communications Medicine.The study investigated whether there was a link between anemia and school attendance in more than 250,000 adolescents ages 15 to 18. Earlier studies had shown a linkRajesh Kumar Rai (Harvard University) and Sebastian Vollmer between anemia and attendance, even after accounting(University of Gttingen). The project received funding for variables such as gender and household wealth, Kumarfrom the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Swedish said. But he said the new study, which applied more rigorousResearch Council and the West Bengal State Department of econometric statistical analysis, did not find such a link. Health and Family Welfare in India. Most previous research on this topic has used conventionalThe latest study builds on an earlier one in which Kumar study designs or focused on small geographical areas, whichand fellow researchers helped evaluate the results of an limits its policy relevance, Kumar said. Earlier estimates mayiron fortification school lunch program for students ages 7 have been distorted by unobserved household factors relatedand 8 in India. That study showed that fortification reduced to both anemia and school attendance. So in this study, weanemia but did not affect students performance in school. A focused on the relationship between anemia and attendanceforthcoming study, set to launch in summer 2024, will look among adolescents who were living in the same household.at iron fortification for children ages 3 to 5. The research hypothesis is that an early-age nutritional intervention among Ultimately, Kumar said, we found that the link between anemiapreschoolers would make a significant impact on physical and and schooling is more muted than previously suggested bycognitive development. studies that did not consider household-level factors. The findings have important implications for policymakersOur findings have implications for policymakers who seeking to improve education in low- and middle-incomewant to improve educational outcomes and reduce countries like India, Kumar said, which has widespread schoolpoverty, Kumar said. attendance issues and struggles with health conditions such as anemia caused by iron deficiency (particularly in children andEffective policies are based on evidence. We need more adolescents). The country has pushed to improve educationalrigorous statistical analysis to examine the causal relationship outcomes, in keeping with the United Nations Sustainablebetween anemia and education. Development Goals, Kumar said. But to achieve that, he said, more research is needed to pinpoint an evidence-basedThis work ties into my larger research agenda, which explores intervention.the intersection of global health and poverty reduction. I want to use my academic research to support human dignity by The latest study is part of an ongoing project to do that work.helping to identify evidence-based health policies that will The study was co-authored with Jan-Walter De Neve (Universitymake a tangible difference in peoples lives.of Heidelberg), Omar Karlsson (Lund University in Sweden), 4038 | Health and Well-being'