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Lifecourse consequences of skill formation in childhood: microsimulation model of an English birth cohort

Thursday 5 April 2018, 2.00PM to 3.15pm

Speaker(s): Ieva Skarda, Centre for Health Economics

Abstract: This talk will present work-in-progress being done together with Richard Cookson and Miqdad Asaria from the Centre for Health Economics. We develop a novel general population microsimulation model of the causal pathways linking early life circumstances and skills formation to diverse later life outcomes for an English birth cohort. We initialise the birth cohort using survey data from the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) in 2000-1 and simulate year-by-year life histories using life-stage specific difference equations. Equations are parameterised using quasi-experimental evidence where available and then calibrated using MCS and older longitudinal survey data. We also illustrate how this model can be used to evaluate the long-run consequences of a parent training programme that has been shown to improve socio-behavioural skills in early childhood – the “Incredible Years” programme for parents of children aged 5-6 exhibiting antisocial behaviour. We use a general summary measure of individual benefit – the “good life-year” – which generalises the conventional quality-adjusted life year by adjusting for consumption as well as health quality. As well as assessing long-run public cost savings, our model can quantify the cost per good life-year gained and impacts on inequality in lifetime consumption, health and wellbeing by parental income, education and mental health.

Location: Seebohm Rowntree Building ATB/056-057

Who to contact

For more information on these seminars, contact:

Adrian Villasenor
Adrian Villasenor-Lopez
Dacheng Huo
Dacheng Huo

If you are not a member of University of York staff and are interested in attending the seminar, please contact Adrian Villasenor-Lopez or Dacheng Huo so that we can ensure we have sufficient space

CHE Seminar Programme

  • Monday 21 January
    Professor Rachel Baker, Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health
  • Thursday 7 February
    Professor Philip Clarke, The Universities of Melbourne and Oxford
  • Thursday 7 March
    Professor Sonia Bhalhotra, University of Essex 
  • Thursday 4 April 
    Eugenio Zucchelli, Lancaster University
  • Monday 13 May
    Davide Rasella, Fiocruz Brazil
  • Thursday 4 July
    Stephanie von Hinke Kessler Scholder, Bristol University
  • Thursday 5 September
    Jose-Luis Fernandez, LSE 
  • Thursday 3 October
    Soren Rud Kristensen, Imperial
  • Thursday 7 November
    Linda Davies, Manchester University
  • Wednesday 5 December
    Mandy Ryan, HERU, University of Aberdeen