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The Relationship Between Economic Conditions, Access to Health Care, and Health Outcomes

Author

Listed:
  • Aakvik, Arild

    (University of Bergen, Department of Economics)

  • Holmås, Tor Helge

    (University of Bergen, Department of Economics and Programme for Health Economics (HEB))

Abstract

This paper analyses the impact of access to health care and economic conditions on health outcomes. Fixed-effects models are estimated using municipality data from 1996 to 2001. Health is proxied by total mortality rates divided into three different causes of death. Access to health care is proxied by number of physicians, and other medical personnel. Unemployment, which has been an important determinant of mortality in many studies, is found to have no effect on health outcomes in our data. We also find an insignificant effect of per capital number of GPs on mortality. However, the number of vacant positions (unmet demand) in municipalities increases mortality rates significantly. In a policy simulation, we find that mortality rates can be reduced on average by 0.8 per cent by eliminating all (around 500) vacant GP positions.

Suggested Citation

  • Aakvik, Arild & Holmås, Tor Helge, 2004. "The Relationship Between Economic Conditions, Access to Health Care, and Health Outcomes," Working Papers in Economics 06/04, University of Bergen, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:bergec:2004_006
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    general practitioners; mortality rates; municipalities; fixed-effect models; mortality; morbidity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs

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