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Some Economic Aspects of Mortality in Developed Countries

In: The Economics of Health and Medical Care

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  • Victor R. Fuchs

    (New York University)

Abstract

Three types of data — cross-section within countries, cross-section among countries, and some time series — reveal that the traditional negative association between mortality and income per capita is disappearing in developed countries. The marginal contribution of medical care to life expectancy, holding the state of the art constant, is also very small. Improvements in medical science (primarily new drugs), however, have had significant effects during the period 1930–60. Current differences in mortality across, and within, developed countries are primarily related to ‘life-style’ — diet, exercise, smoking, drinking, psychological stress, etc. The ‘demand’ for a long life, and the ability to ‘produce’ it, differ greatly among individuals and populations. A major research task is to gain a better understanding of these demand and production functions.

Suggested Citation

  • Victor R. Fuchs, 1974. "Some Economic Aspects of Mortality in Developed Countries," International Economic Association Series, in: Mark Perlman (ed.), The Economics of Health and Medical Care, chapter 11, pages 174-201, Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:intecp:978-1-349-63660-0_11
    DOI: 10.1007/978-1-349-63660-0_11
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Andrew M. Jones & Eddy Van Doorslaer & Teresa Bago D’Uva & Silvia Balia & Lynn Gambin & Cristina Hernández Quevedo & Xander Koolman & Nigel Rice, 2006. "Health and Wealth: Empirical Findings and Political Consequences," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 7(s1), pages 93-112, May.
    2. Michael Grossman & Steven Jacobowitz, 1981. "Variations in infant mortality rates among counties of the United States: The roles of public policies and programs," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 18(4), pages 695-713, November.
    3. Keeler, Theodore E., 1993. "Highway Safety, Economic Behavior, and Driving Environment," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt9c27z2z1, University of California Transportation Center.
    4. Wildman, John, 2003. "Modelling health, income and income inequality: the impact of income inequality on health and health inequality," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 521-538, July.
    5. Paul Taubman & Sherwin Rosen, 1982. "Healthiness, Education, and Marital Status," NBER Chapters, in: Economic Aspects of Health, pages 121-140, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Victor R. Fuchs & Mark B. McClellan & Jonathan S. Skinner, 2004. "Area Differences in Utilization of Medical Care and Mortality among US Elderly," NBER Chapters, in: Perspectives on the Economics of Aging, pages 367-414, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. P. A. Scuffham, 2003. "Economic factors and traffic crashes in New Zealand," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(2), pages 179-188.
    8. Sun, Yu & You, Wen, 2016. "Relative-deprivation effects on child health in China," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235926, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Jamison, Dean T. & Murphy, Shane M. & Sandbu, Martin E., 2016. "Why has under-5 mortality decreased at such different rates in different countries?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 16-25.
    10. Michael Grossman & Steven Jacobowitz, 1981. "Variations in Infant Mortality Rates among Counties in the United States: The Roles of Social Policies and Programs," NBER Working Papers 0615, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Gary S. Becker & Elisabeth M. Landes & Robert T. Michael, 1976. "Economics of Marital Instability," NBER Working Papers 0153, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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