Height and health conditions of conscripts at the end of nineteenth century: a study based on military records. The objective of this paper, based on historical data recorded in the military registers, is twofold: a) to study the evolution of health conditions between two cohorts of military conscripts born during the “health transition” and living in Umbria, by using both anthropometric and sanitary data; b) to test the effects of socio-economic factors and “sanitary” environment on adult health condition of conscripts born in 1880-1881 in Sardinia, Umbria and Veneto. In addition we test the relationship between height and health conditions. We proxied health infrastructures by sewerage system, clean water supply, stagnant water, infectious diseases and basic health care. We use two kinds of sources: the Survey on the sanitary conditions of the Italian municipalities (1886) and the military recruitment records. The use of individual data enables to empirically document: (i) the cross-section variability of the anthropometric characteristics, in particular height, which can be considered a good proxy of the standard of living; (ii) variations in health conditions by evaluating the causes of unfitness for military service in order to analyze the different types of morbidity and the persistence of pathologies. Regression models are specified to evaluate the influence of both individual and macro-aggregate variables on health status, measured by the outcome “to be fit for military service”. The analyses of data referred to Umbrian conscripts shows improved living conditions over time as evidenced by the increase in adult height of men born in 1881 and 1911 and the reduced percentage of those declared unfit for short stature, weak constitution and insufficient thoracic perimeter. Results also show that taller people are healthier although the existence of a non-linear relationship between health and height has been highlighted. Furthermore, we found a positive association between literacy and health. Lastly, the significant influence of sanitary environment experienced during childhood indicates that the contextual effects matters a lot for adult health status in Sardinian communities.
Statura e condizioni di salute della popolazione maschile a fine Ottocento: uno studio basato sui registri di leva
BUSSINI, Odoardo;LANARI, Donatella
2007
Abstract
Height and health conditions of conscripts at the end of nineteenth century: a study based on military records. The objective of this paper, based on historical data recorded in the military registers, is twofold: a) to study the evolution of health conditions between two cohorts of military conscripts born during the “health transition” and living in Umbria, by using both anthropometric and sanitary data; b) to test the effects of socio-economic factors and “sanitary” environment on adult health condition of conscripts born in 1880-1881 in Sardinia, Umbria and Veneto. In addition we test the relationship between height and health conditions. We proxied health infrastructures by sewerage system, clean water supply, stagnant water, infectious diseases and basic health care. We use two kinds of sources: the Survey on the sanitary conditions of the Italian municipalities (1886) and the military recruitment records. The use of individual data enables to empirically document: (i) the cross-section variability of the anthropometric characteristics, in particular height, which can be considered a good proxy of the standard of living; (ii) variations in health conditions by evaluating the causes of unfitness for military service in order to analyze the different types of morbidity and the persistence of pathologies. Regression models are specified to evaluate the influence of both individual and macro-aggregate variables on health status, measured by the outcome “to be fit for military service”. The analyses of data referred to Umbrian conscripts shows improved living conditions over time as evidenced by the increase in adult height of men born in 1881 and 1911 and the reduced percentage of those declared unfit for short stature, weak constitution and insufficient thoracic perimeter. Results also show that taller people are healthier although the existence of a non-linear relationship between health and height has been highlighted. Furthermore, we found a positive association between literacy and health. Lastly, the significant influence of sanitary environment experienced during childhood indicates that the contextual effects matters a lot for adult health status in Sardinian communities.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
