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New Medical Schools, Access to Doctors and Health Outcomes : Evidence from Japan

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  • HOSHI, Kisho

Abstract

We investigate the effects of the medical school and the associated university hospital constructions in the 1970s on access to doctors and mortality, using the prefecture-level panel data of Japan and an event study design that exploits an exogenous variation in the pre-war location of medical schools. We find the long-term effect of an increase in doctors, and the effect closes the gap in the access to doctors that existed between treated and control prefectures before the policy intervention. We also find a decline in mortality for acute and intractable diseases after the establishment of the university hospital. Our results suggest that opening medical schools in rural areas are a potential policy to mitigate geographical disparities in access to doctors. Our results also indicate that the university hospital and the new medical graduates played an important role in decreasing mortality rates.

Suggested Citation

  • HOSHI, Kisho, 2023. "New Medical Schools, Access to Doctors and Health Outcomes : Evidence from Japan," CEI Working Paper Series 2023-05, Center for Economic Institutions, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    • Handle: RePEc:hit:hitcei:2023-05
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    File URL: https://hermes-ir.lib.hit-u.ac.jp/hermes/ir/re/79845/wp2023-05.pdf
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I19 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Other

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