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Urbanization and mortality decline

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  • Bandyopadhyay, Sanghamitra
  • Green, Elliott D.

Abstract

We investigate the relationship between mortality decline and urbanization, which has hitherto been proposed by demographers but has yet to be tested rigorously in a global context. Using cross-national panel data we find evidence of a robust negative correlation between crude death rates and urbanization. The use of instrumental variables suggest that this relationship is causal, while historical data from the early 20th century suggests that this relationship holds in earlier periods as well. Finally, we find robust evidence that mortality decline is correlated with urbanization through the creation of new cities rather than promoting urban growth in already-extant cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Bandyopadhyay, Sanghamitra & Green, Elliott D., 2018. "Urbanization and mortality decline," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 85897, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:85897
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    2. Fox, Sean & Wolf, Levi John, 2022. "What makes a place urban?," SocArXiv qfvry, Center for Open Science.
    3. Sabyasachi Tripathi & Moinak Maiti, 2023. "Does urbanization improve health outcomes: a cross country level analysis," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 277-316, March.
    4. Tripathi, Sabyasachi, 2021. "Relationship between urbanization and health outcomes in Indian states," MPRA Paper 109800, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Urbanization; Mortality Decline; Economic Development; Structural Change; Demographic Transition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment

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