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Alternative Estimates of the Effect of the Increase of Life Expectancy on Economic Growth

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  • Muhammad Jami Husain

    (Keele University)

Abstract

Until recently the literature has found evidence of a positive, significant, and sizable influence of life expectancy on economic growth. This view has been challenged by Acemoglu and Johnson (2007). They find no evidence that the large exogenous increase in life expectancy led to a significant increase in per capita economic growth. This paper takes up the modelling and estimation framework presented in Acemoglu and Johnson (2007), and presents alternative estimates on the impact of life expectancy on population, GDP, and GDP per capita by using alternative instrument, timeline, and country groups. The findings suggest that the results differ significantly from that provided in Acemoglu and Johnson (2007); that the generalization of the pessimistic outcomes with regards to the impact of life expectancy on income per capita requires caution; and the increase of life expectancy may have had a positive impact on income per capita growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Jami Husain, 2012. "Alternative Estimates of the Effect of the Increase of Life Expectancy on Economic Growth," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 32(4), pages 3025-3035.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-12-00663
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    File URL: http://www.accessecon.com/Pubs/EB/2012/Volume32/EB-12-V32-I4-P290.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anne Case & Angus Deaton, 2009. "Health and Well-Being in Udaipur and South Africa," NBER Chapters, in: Developments in the Economics of Aging, pages 317-349, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. repec:pri:rpdevs:case_deaton_health_wellbeing_udaipur_sa_05_%20revisedjan06 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson, 2007. "Disease and Development: The Effect of Life Expectancy on Economic Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 115(6), pages 925-985, December.
    4. repec:pri:cheawb:case_deaton_health_wellbeing_udaipur_sa_05_%20revisedjan06.pdf is not listed on IDEAS
    5. repec:pri:cheawb:case_deaton_health_wellbeing_udaipur_sa_05_%20revisedjan06 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. repec:pri:rpdevs:case_deaton_health_wellbeing_udaipur_sa_05_%20revisedjan06.pdf is not listed on IDEAS
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Dambar Uprety, 2019. "Skilled migration and health outcomes in developing countries," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 1-14, March.
    2. Masagus M. Ridhwan & Peter Nijkamp & Affandi Ismail & Luthfi M.Irsyad, 2022. "The effect of health on economic growth: a meta-regression analysis," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(6), pages 3211-3251, December.
    3. Muhammad Jami Husain, 2013. "Life Expectancy and Economic Well-being: A Within-country Regional-level Analysis Using the Micro-data of Bangladesh," Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research, vol. 7(4), pages 443-474, November.
    4. Fumagalli, Elena & Pinna Pintor, M & Suhrcke, Marc, 2024. "The impact of health on economic growth: A narrative literature review," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    5. Lorenzo Rocco & Elena Fumagalli & Andrew J Mirelman & Marc Suhrcke, 2021. "Mortality, morbidity and economic growth," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(5), pages 1-22, May.
    6. Ertefaie Ashkan & Asgharian Masoud & Stephens David A., 2018. "Variable Selection in Causal Inference using a Simultaneous Penalization Method," Journal of Causal Inference, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 1-16, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Life Expectancy; Income per capita; Economic Growth; Immunization; Instruments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I0 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity

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