Essays on the Microeconomics of Development in Guatemala

Abstract

This dissertation presents results from three studies analyzing the microeconomics of development in Guatemala. Women play a critical role in improving the health and well-being of their children. This is particularly important for countries with high rates of child malnutrition, such as Guatemala. This dissertation first analyzes how women's intra-household bargaining-power impacts their ability to seek information about health and nutrition from a variety of sources. Greater intra-household bargaining power increases women's ability to participate in health information networks. Second, this dissertation finds that women who are more risk averse increase the number of health-information sources that they consult. Finally, among women in this sample, there is no strong relationship between women's risk preferences and the household's ownership of productive assets and diversification of income sources.