It aims to analyze the relationship between a conditional – cash transfer program and the child health, considering two family generations and using two different approaches: econometric analysis and data mining algorithms. By analyzing the long term impacts of Bolsa Familia on future generations’ health, it will investigate if a child who was born in a family whose grandparents received the cash transfer is in better health conditions than a similar child born in a family whose grandparents did not receive the same benefit.
The study was divided into two phases. The first phase focused on assessing the intergenerational impact of the Bolsa Família Program and its positive effects on improving the health of children in vulnerable conditions. In the second phase, the goal was to identify the contexts in which the Bolsa Família Program provided the greatest health benefits to newborns.
Both methodologies indicated that families participating in conditional cash transfer programs exhibit improved health indicators at birth. The findings demonstrate a higher likelihood of the grandmother’s involvement in the Bolsa Familia program (BF) correlating with a reduced incidence of low birth weight, very low birth weight, and congenital malformations in her grandchildren.
Data mining identified BF as a significant factor among groups with lower occurrences of low birth weight and congenital malformations, while the econometric analysis established a noteworthy connection between the presence of BF during pregnancy and a decreased incidence of low birth weight and preterm births. However, the association is more pronounced regarding low birth weight at birth. Thus, the absence of conditional cash transfers in the prematurity data does not imply that prematurity is unimportant; rather, it suggests that other variables may hold greater significance.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the correlation between access to Bolsa Familia program (BF) and the health conditions of mothers and children. For instance, participation in BF is positively associated with the utilization of healthcare services, improved birth weight, enhanced diet quality, and reduced infant mortality rates. However, there is a notable lack of literature examining whether BF influences household decision-making during the receipt of benefits, or if the program effectively alters individuals’ choices in a manner that impacts health outcomes for future generations.
To ensure the success of BF, it is essential to identify the conditions under which the cash transfer achieves its objectives. This study identified factors that prevent children from overcoming the traps of poverty despite BF efforts.
This study highlights the importance of conditional cash transfers as a factor that can contribute to generating equal opportunities. Socioeconomic inequalities in a given generation are present from the moment of conception. These and other public policies aimed at providing better socioeconomic conditions for vulnerable families are fundamental to ensuring the full development of newborns.
The next steps of this work involve refining the results by identifying subgroups with the worst and best outcomes at the municipal level, as well as specific population groups, including children with adolescent mothers, children with illiterate mothers, quilombola children, and indigenous children.
