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An exploration of China's mortality decline under Mao: A provincial analysis, 1950-80

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  • Kimberly Singer Babiarz
  • Karen Eggleston
  • Grant Miller
  • Qiong Zhang

Abstract

Between 1950 and 1980, China experienced the most rapid sustained increase in life expectancy of any population in documented global history. We know of no study that has quantitatively assessed the relative importance of the various explanations proposed for this gain in survival. We have created and analysed a new, province-level panel data set spanning the decades between 1950 and 1980 by combining historical information from China's public health archives, official provincial yearbooks, and infant and child mortality records contained in the 1988 National Survey of Fertility and Contraception. Although exploratory, our results suggest that gains in school enrolment and public health campaigns together are associated with 55-70 per cent of China's dramatic reductions in infant and under-5 mortality during our study period. These results underscore the importance of non-medical determinants of population health, and suggest that, in some circumstances, general education of the population may amplify the effectiveness of public health interventions. Supplementary material for this article (Babiarz et al. 2014, Suppl.) is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00324728.2014.972432

Suggested Citation

  • Kimberly Singer Babiarz & Karen Eggleston & Grant Miller & Qiong Zhang, 2015. "An exploration of China's mortality decline under Mao: A provincial analysis, 1950-80," Population Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 69(1), pages 39-56, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rpstxx:v:69:y:2015:i:1:p:39-56
    DOI: 10.1080/00324728.2014.972432
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    1. World Bank, 2009. "World Development Indicators 2009," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 4367.
    2. Barry Naughton, 2007. "The Chinese Economy: Transitions and Growth," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262640643, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chae, Minhee & Cai, Yong & Kim, Jun Hyung & Lavely, William, 2023. "Unintended Consequences of Family Planning Policies on the Breastfeeding Gap between Sons and Daughters," IZA Discussion Papers 16190, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Sullivan, Dylan & Hickel, Jason, 2023. "Capitalism and extreme poverty: a global analysis of real wages, human height, and mortality since the long 16th century," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 117731, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Luo, Weixiang & Xie, Yu, 2020. "Economic growth, income inequality and life expectancy in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).

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