Are Recessions Good For Your Health?
Abstract
This study investigates the relationship between economic conditions and health. Total mortality and eight of the ten sources of fatalities examined are shown to exhibit a procyclical fluctuation, with suicides representing an important exception. The variations are largest for those causes and age groups where behavioral responses are most plausible, and there is some evidence that the unfavorable health effects of temporary upturns are partially or fully offset if the economic growth is long-lasting. An accompanying analysis of microdata indicates that smoking and obesity increase when the economy strengthens, whereas physical activity is reduced and diet becomes less healthy. © 2000 the President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyDownload Info
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Bibliographic Info
Article provided by MIT Press in its journal The Quarterly Journal of Economics.
Volume (Year): 115 (2000)
Issue (Month): 2 (May)
Pages: 617-650
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Web page: http://mitpress.mit.edu/journals/
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Web: http://mitpress.mit.edu/journal-home.tcl?issn=00335533
Related research
Keywords:Other versions of this item:
- Christopher J. Ruhm, 1996. "Are Recessions Good For Your Health?," NBER Working Papers 5570, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Production
References
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Citations
Blog mentions
As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:- AIG: The Fifth Horseman?
by Charles Kenny in a fistful of euros on 2009-06-30 13:38:45 - Bad economy may be good for your health
by Jason Shafrin in Healthcare Economist on 2008-10-08 06:13:21 - How Unemployment Can Make You Sick
by David Dayen in firedoglake on 2010-12-29 00:45:39 - Does Unemployment Lead to Less Healthy Diets?
by David Wessel in Real Time Economics on 2010-12-27 10:45:00 - Is this recession good for your health?
by Sam Watson in The Academic Health Economists' Blog on 2013-04-25 07:15:53
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