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The diffusion of health technologies: Cultural and biological divergence

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  • Hansen, Casper Worm

    (Department of Business and Economics)

Abstract

This paper proposes the hypothesis that genetic distance to the health frontier influences population health outcomes. Evidence from a world sample suggests that genetic distance - interpreted as long-term cultural and biological divergence - is an important factor in understanding health inequalities across countries. In particular, the paper documents a remarkably robust link between genetic distance and health as measured by life expectancy at birth and the adult survival rate. Also, the evidence reveals that the link has strengthened considerably over the 20th century which highlights the increasing effects of globalization on health conditions across countries through the transmission of health technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Hansen, Casper Worm, 2011. "The diffusion of health technologies: Cultural and biological divergence," Discussion Papers on Economics 6/2011, University of Southern Denmark, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:sdueko:2011_006
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    Cited by:

    1. Wen‐Shuenn Deng & Yi‐Chen Lin & Ming‐Tien Tsai, 2018. "Polarization of life expectancy across countries: Does biological and cultural distance to the health technological frontier matter?," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 65(3), pages 248-270, July.
    2. Ideen A. Riahi, 2022. "Why Eurasia? A probe into the origins of global inequalities," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 16(1), pages 105-147, January.
    3. Andersen, Thomas Barnebeck & Dalgaard, Carl-Johan & Skovsgaard, Christian Volmar & Selaya, Pablo, 2016. "Historical Migration Flows and Global Health Differences," DaCHE discussion papers 2016:1, University of Southern Denmark, Dache - Danish Centre for Health Economics.
    4. Trung V. Vu, 2023. "Life expectancy and human capital: New empirical evidence," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(2), pages 395-412, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Population health; international diffusion of health technologies; globalization; cultural and biological divergence;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • J10 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - General
    • N30 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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