| ID | 130054 |
| Title Proper | Impact of household credit on education and healthcare spending by the poor in Peri-urban areas, Vietnam |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Doan, Tinh ; Gibson, John ; Holmes, Mark J |
| Publication | 2014. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | There is an ongoing debate about whether microfinance has a positive impact on education and health for borrowing households in developing countries. To understand this debate, we use a survey designed to meet the conditions for propensity score matching (PSM) and examine the impact of household credit on education and healthcare spending by the poor in peri-urban areas of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In addition to matching statistically identical non-borrowers to borrowers, our estimates also control for household pre-treatment income and assets, which may be associated with unobservable factors affecting both credit participation and the outcomes of interest. The PSM estimates show a significant and positive impact of borrowing on education and healthcare spending. However, further investigation of the effects of the treatment reveals that only formal credit has a significant and positive impact on education and healthcare spending, while informal credit has an insignificant impact on spending. This paper contributes to the limited literature on peri-urban areas using evidence from one of the largest and most dynamic cities in Southeast Asia. |
| `In' analytical Note | Journal of Southeast Asian Economies (ASEAN Economic Bulletin Change the Name) Vol.31, No.1; April 2014: p.87-103 |
| Journal Source | Journal of Southeast Asian Economies (ASEAN Economic Bulletin Change the Name) Vol.31, No.1; April 2014: p.87-103 |
| Key Words | Southeast Asia ; Vietnam ; Healthcare ; Urban Development ; Social Development ; Economic Development ; Economic Rights ; Economic Growth ; Policies and Politics ; Household Credit ; Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam ; Economic Management ; Economic Distribution ; Finance ; Microfinance ; Propensity Score Matching - PSM ; Fiscal Policy ; Economic Policy ; Financial Policy |