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Changes in the Value of Life, 1940--1980

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Author Info
Dora L. Costa ()
Matthew E. Kahn

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Abstract

We present the first nationwide value of life estimates for the United States at more than one point in time. Our estimates are for every ten years between 1940 and 1980, a period when declines in fatal accident rates were historically unprecedented. Our estimated elasticity of value of life with respect to per capita GNP is 1.5 to 1.7. We illustrate the importance of rising value of life for policy evaluation by examining the benefits of improved longevity since 1900. Our estimated elasticity implies that the current marginal increase in longevity is more valuable than the large increase in the first half of the twentieth century.

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Article provided by Springer in its journal Journal of Risk and Uncertainty.

Volume (Year): 29 (2004)
Issue (Month): 2 (09)
Pages: 159-180
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Handle: RePEc:kap:jrisku:v:29:y:2004:i:2:p:159-180

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Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Hwang, Hae-shin & Reed, W Robert & Hubbard, Carlton, 1992. "Compensating Wage Differentials and Unobserved Productivity," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(4), pages 835-58, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Arabsheibani, G R & Marin, A, 2000. " Stability of Estimates of the Compensation for Danger," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 247-69, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  3. Cousineau, Jean-Michel & Lacroix, Robert & Girard, Anne-Marie, 1992. "Occupational Hazard and Wage Compensating Differentials," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 74(1), pages 166-69, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Rosen, Sherwin, 1988. " The Value of Changes in Life Expectancy," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 1(3), pages 285-304, September.
    Other versions:
  5. Gray, Wayne B & Jones, Carol Adaire, 1991. "Are OSHA Health Inspections Effective? A Longitudinal Study in the Manufacturing Sector," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 73(3), pages 504-08, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  6. Simon, Nathalie B. & Cropper, Maureen L. & Alberini, Anna & Arora, Seema, 1999. "Valuing mortality reductions in India : a study of compensating wage differentials," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2078, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  7. Sandy, Robert & Elliott, Robert F, 1996. "Unions and Risk: Their Impact on the Level of Compensation for Fatal Risk," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 63(250), pages 291-309, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Felice Martinello & Ronald Meng, 1992. "Workplace Risks and the Value of Hazard Avoidance," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 25(2), pages 333-45, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Amil Petrin, 2002. "Quantifying the Benefits of New Products: The Case of the Minivan," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 110(4), pages 705-729, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Richard Thaler & Sherwin Rosen, 1976. "The Value of Saving a Life: Evidence from the Labor Market," NBER Chapters, in: Household Production and Consumption, pages 265-302 National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!]
  11. Herzog, Henry W, Jr & Schlottmann, Alan M, 1990. "Valuing Risk in the Workplace: Market Price, Willingness to Pay, and the Optimal Provision of Safety," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 72(3), pages 463-70, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  12. Jason F. Shogren & Tommy Stamland, 2002. "Skill and the Value of Life," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 110(5), pages 1168-1197, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  13. Moulton, Brent R, 1990. "An Illustration of a Pitfall in Estimating the Effects of Aggregate Variables on Micro Unit," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 72(2), pages 334-38, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  14. Kniesner, Thomas J & Leeth, John D, 1991. " Compensating Wage Differentials for Fatal Injury Risk in Australia, Japan, and the United States," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 75-90, January.
  15. Viscusi, W Kip, 1978. "Wealth Effects and Earnings Premiums for Job Hazards," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 60(3), pages 408-16, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  16. Paul Leigh, J., 1987. "Gender, firm size, industry, and estimates of the value-of-life," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 6(3), pages 255-273, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  17. Dillingham, Alan E, 1985. "The Influence of Risk Variable Definition on Value-of-Life Estimates," Economic Inquiry, Oxford University Press, vol. 23(2), pages 277-94, April.
  18. Marin, Alan & Psacharopoulos, George, 1982. "The Reward for Risk in the Labor Market: Evidence from the United Kingdom and a Reconciliation with Other Studies," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 90(4), pages 827-53, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  19. Berry, Steven & Levinsohn, James & Pakes, Ariel, 1995. "Automobile Prices in Market Equilibrium," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 63(4), pages 841-90, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Ryan D. Edwards, 2008. "The Cost of Uncertain Life Span," NBER Working Papers 14093, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Thomas DeLeire & Christopher Timmins, 2008. "Roy Model Sorting and Non-Random Selection in the Valuation of a Statistical Life," NBER Working Papers 14364, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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