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Pandemic economics: the 1918 influenza and its modern-day implications

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  • Thomas A. Garrett

Abstract

Many predictions of the economic and social costs of a modern-day pandemic are based on the effects of the influenza pandemic of 1918. Despite killing 675,000 people in the United States and 40 million worldwide, the influenza of 1918 has been nearly forgotten. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the influenza pandemic of 1918 in the United States, its economic effects, and its implications for a modern-day pandemic. The paper provides a brief historical background as well as detailed influenza mortality statistics for cities and states, including those in the Eighth Federal Reserve District, that account for differences in race, income, and place of residence. Information is obtained from two sources: (i) newspaper articles published during the pandemic and (ii) a survey of economic research on the subject.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas A. Garrett, 2008. "Pandemic economics: the 1918 influenza and its modern-day implications," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, vol. 90(Mar), pages 74-94.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedlrv:y:2008:i:mar:p:74-94:n:v.90no.2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    RePEc Biblio mentions

    As found on the RePEc Biblio, the curated bibliography for Economics:
    1. > Economics of Welfare > Health Economics > Economics of Pandemics > Consequences
    2. > Economics of Welfare > Health Economics > Economics of Pandemics > Specific pandemics > Spanish Influenza

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    Cited by:

    1. Marthinus C. Breitenbach & Victor Ngobeni & Goodness C. Aye, 2021. "Efficiency of Healthcare Systems in the First Wave of COVID-19 – A Technical Efficiency Analysis," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 6, pages 3-21.
    2. Karlsson, Martin & Nilsson, Therese & Pichler, Stefan, 2012. "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger? The Impact of the 1918 Spanish Flu Epidemic on Economic Performance in Sweden," Working Paper Series 911, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    3. Breitenbach, Marthinus C & Ngobeni, Victor & Ayte, Goodness, 2020. "The first 100 days of COVID-19 coronavirus – How efficient did country health systems perform to flatten the curve in the first wave?," MPRA Paper 8872, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Karlsson, Martin & Nilsson, Therese & Pichler, Stefan, 2014. "The impact of the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic on economic performance in Sweden," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 1-19.
    5. Alexander W. Bartik & Marianne Bertrand & Zoe B. Cullen & Edward L. Glaeser & Michael Luca & Christopher T. Stanton, 2020. "How Are Small Businesses Adjusting to COVID-19? Early Evidence from a Survey," Working Papers 2020-42, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.
    6. Doran, Áine & Colvin, Christopher L. & McLaughlin, Eoin, 2024. "What can we learn from historical pandemics? A systematic review of the literature," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 342(C).
    7. O’Donnell, Niall & Shannon, Darren & Sheehan, Barry, 2021. "Immune or at-risk? Stock markets and the significance of the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C).
    8. Beniamino Callegari & Christophe Feder, 2022. "The long-term economic effects of pandemics: toward an evolutionary approach [Epidemics and trust: the case of the Spanish flu]," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 31(3), pages 715-735.
    9. Antunes, António & Ercolani, Valerio, 2021. "Health and Earnings: a General Equilibrium Evaluation," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(3), pages 203-214.
    10. Pensieroso, Luca & Sommacal, Alessandro & Spolverini, Gaia, 2023. "Intergenerational coresidence and the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    11. Evangelos Vasileiou, 2021. "Explaining stock markets' performance during the COVID‐19 crisis: Could Google searches be a significant behavioral indicator?," Intelligent Systems in Accounting, Finance and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(3), pages 173-181, July.
    12. Tuna, Gülfen & Tuna, Vedat Ender, 2022. "Are effects of COVID-19 pandemic on financial markets permanent or temporary? Evidence from gold, oil and stock markets," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).

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