Abstract

Recent data shows that social and economic conditions of rural dwellers are worsening in Cameroon. This paper estimates the link between parental education and household economic wellbeing (ECW). It also relates household health to household ECW, jointly education and health to ECW. Data employed are from a national survey conducted by the National Institute of Statistics in 2011. The unitary household economic model is the theoretical foundation. Empirical models specified are estimated using different methods. OLS is employed to estimate the link between education and ECW. One result on which the paper insists is obtained from a non-linear control function specification. Two salient results are highlighted. i) Education appears to be a significant determinant of household health. ii) Education and health are not perfect substitutes in the household utility function. These findings could guide policymakers in search for effective health and education programs aimed at improving rural economic wellbeing.

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