The unseen pain of the Vietnam War
Long-term effects of Agent Orange on labor market outcomes
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24228504 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Luu Duc Toan Huynh (0000-0002-3182-3320), Po Yin Wong (0000-0001-9019-7238) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 39 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Publication date | 2026-12-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Population Economics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0933-1433 • E-ISSN: 1432-1475 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s00148-026-01217-4 |
| OpenAlex | W7113806614 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 48 |
We examine the long-term labor market consequences of exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, focusing on cohorts whose childhoods overlapped the spraying period. Exploiting district-level variation in herbicide exposure intensity, we find exposed individuals attain lower levels of schooling and reduce their labor supply by 7% relative to the mean. Among individuals who remain in their birth provinces, labor income is reduced by 26.7%. We show that cognitive and physical health impairments do not fully explain the effects. Exposure also reduced household income and pushed individuals toward primary industries, away from wage employment. We further document intergenerational effects, as children of exposed parents exhibit lower educational attainment and reduced labor supply. These findings highlight the lasting and multigenerational economic costs of wartime chemical exposure.
Agent Orange · dioxin exposure · early childhood exposure · Educational attainment · intergenerational effects · labor income · labor market outcomes · long-term effects · Vietnam · Vietnam War · Working hours · Environmental and Biological Research in Conflict Zones · Pesticide Exposure and Toxicity · Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
The Historical State, Local Collective Action, and Economic Development in Vietnam
Valid t -ratio Inference for IV
War and Institutions
Mother's Education and the Intergenerational Transmission of Human Capital
Childhood Circumstances and Adult Outcomes
Civil War
Plausibly Exogenous
Bombs, Brains, and Science
Heterogeneity in the long term health effects of warfare
Political Legitimacy in Vietnam
I am a survivor, keep on surviving
The intergenerational transmission of human capital
Does exposure to armed conflict affect women’s attitudes toward intimate partner violence? Evidence from Vietnam
Early-life economic conditions and old-age male mortality
When the wind blows
The long-term impact of the Vietnam War on agricultural productivity
The long-term health impact of Agent Orange
The long-term causal effect of U.S. bombing missions on economic development
Early life shocks and mental health
The long-run impact of bombing Vietnam
Introduction to Jebo special issue on wars, economic sanctions, economic behaviors, and institutions
The Dynamics of Violence in Vietnam
Killing Me Softly
The legacy of agent orange
The Economic Effects of the Sri Lankan Civil War
Agricultural Land in Vietnam
| Highly cited | No |
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