Time series analysis of the relationship between unemployment and mortality: A survey of econometric critiques and replications of Brenner's studies

M. Harvey Brenner's numerous time-series analyses of the relationship between population mortality rates and aggregate unemployment rates have attracted considerable attention from academics, policy-makers and the mass-media. Over the course of the last few years, however, Brenner's studies have begun to be subjected to critical scrutiny by econometricians. This paper provides a survey of these studies and concludes that--contrary to what is often claimed--Brenner's analyses do not provide convincing evidence that the social costs of unemployment include premature deaths.