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Doctors' strikes and mortality: A review

Author

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  • Cunningham, Solveig Argeseanu
  • Mitchell, Kristina
  • Venkat Narayan, K.M.
  • Yusuf, Salim

Abstract

A paradoxical pattern has been suggested in the literature on doctors' strikes: when health workers go on strike, mortality stays level or decreases. We performed a review of the literature during the past forty years to assess this paradox. We used PubMed, EconLit and Jstor to locate all peer-reviewed English-language articles presenting data analysis on mortality associated with doctors' strikes. We identified 156 articles, seven of which met our search criteria. The articles analyzed five strikes around the world, all between 1976 and 2003. The strikes lasted between nine days and seventeen weeks. All reported that mortality either stayed the same or decreased during, and in some cases, after the strike. None found that mortality increased during the weeks of the strikes compared to other time periods. The paradoxical finding that physician strikes are associated with reduced mortality may be explained by several factors. Most importantly, elective surgeries are curtailed during strikes. Further, hospitals often re-assign scarce staff and emergency care was available during all of the strikes. Finally, none of the strikes may have lasted long enough to assess the effects of long-term reduced access to a physician. Nonetheless, the literature suggests that reductions in mortality may result from these strikes.

Suggested Citation

  • Cunningham, Solveig Argeseanu & Mitchell, Kristina & Venkat Narayan, K.M. & Yusuf, Salim, 2008. "Doctors' strikes and mortality: A review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(11), pages 1784-1788, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:67:y:2008:i:11:p:1784-1788
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Roemer, M.I., 1979. "Two comments received on LA study of physician malpractice slowdown," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 69(8), pages 825-826.
    2. Joffe, J., 1979. "Two comments received on LA study of physician malpractice slowdown," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 69(8), pages 825-825.
    3. James, J.J., 1979. "Impacts of the medical malpractice slowdown in Los Angeles County: January 1976," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 69(5), pages 437-443.
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    Cited by:

    1. Takaku, Reo & Bessho, S., 2017. "Do benefits in kind or refunds affect health service utilization and health outcomes? A natural experiment from Japan," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(5), pages 534-542.
    2. Stefan Bauernschuster & Timo Hener & Helmut Rainer, 2017. "When Labor Disputes Bring Cities to a Standstill: The Impact of Public Transit Strikes on Traffic, Accidents, Air Pollution, and Health," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 9(1), pages 1-37, February.
    3. Stoye, George & Warner, Max, 2023. "The effects of doctor strikes on patient outcomes: Evidence from the English NHS," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 689-707.
    4. Eduardo Costa, 2022. "The unintended consequences of hospital strikes on patient outcomes evidence from multiple strikes in the Portuguese National Health Service," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(11), pages 2499-2511, November.

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    1. Eduardo Costa, 2022. "The unintended consequences of hospital strikes on patient outcomes evidence from multiple strikes in the Portuguese National Health Service," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(11), pages 2499-2511, November.
    2. Stoye, George & Warner, Max, 2023. "The effects of doctor strikes on patient outcomes: Evidence from the English NHS," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 689-707.
    3. Jonathan Gruber & Samuel A. Kleiner, 2012. "Do Strikes Kill? Evidence from New York State," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 4(1), pages 127-157, February.

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