This article evaluates the impact of remittances on health outcomes in Ecuador using an instrumental-variables approach. Although we do not find significant impacts on long-term child health variables, we find that remittances do have an impact on health expenditures, and on some preventive issues such as de-worming and vaccination. In addition, we find significant effects of remittances on medicine expenditures when illness occurs. In this regard, remittances are used for both preventive and emergency situations. Interestingly, we also find a significant and positive effect of remittances on health knowledge. © 2011 by the Center for Migration Studies of New York. All rights reserved.

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education migrants remittance Ecuador economics psychological aspect health care policy human Internationality international cooperation ethnology knowledge health care cost health expenditure Humans health impact medicine preschool child Child, Preschool Health Expenditures History, 21st Century Child Welfare child health Article history History, 20th Century legal aspect child health care preventive medicine Child Health Services Health Policy Child