IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/hlthec/v30y2021i12p2974-2994.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of primary care physician density on perinatal health: Evidence from a natural experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Jonas Minet Kinge
  • Jostein Grytten

Abstract

We examined the impact of primary care physician density on perinatal health outcomes in Norway. From 1992 and onwards, primary care physicians who chose to work in selected remote municipalities were given an annual reduction in their student loan. This reduction, combined with increased supply of physicians, led to an increase in the density of primary care physicians in these selected municipalities. Our register‐based population study showed that this increase in physician density significantly improved perinatal health in terms of fewer fetal deaths and increased birth weight. The richness of the data allowed us to perform several robustness tests.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonas Minet Kinge & Jostein Grytten, 2021. "The impact of primary care physician density on perinatal health: Evidence from a natural experiment," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(12), pages 2974-2994, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:30:y:2021:i:12:p:2974-2994
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.4426
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.4426
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/hec.4426?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joshua D. Angrist & Jörn-Steffen Pischke, 2010. "The Credibility Revolution in Empirical Economics: How Better Research Design Is Taking the Con out of Econometrics," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 24(2), pages 3-30, Spring.
    2. Bladimir Carrillo & Jose Feres, 2019. "Provider Supply, Utilization, and Infant Health: Evidence from a Physician Distribution Policy," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 156-196, August.
    3. Joseph G. Altonji & Todd E. Elder & Christopher R. Taber, 2005. "Selection on Observed and Unobserved Variables: Assessing the Effectiveness of Catholic Schools," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 113(1), pages 151-184, February.
    4. Starfield, Barbara & Shi, Leiyu, 2002. "Policy relevant determinants of health: an international perspective," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(3), pages 201-218, June.
    5. Sandra E. Black & Paul J. Devereux & Kjell G. Salvanes, 2007. "From the Cradle to the Labor Market? The Effect of Birth Weight on Adult Outcomes," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(1), pages 409-439.
    6. Manudeep Bhuller & Tarjei Havnes & Edwin Leuven & Magne Mogstad, 2013. "Broadband Internet: An Information Superhighway to Sex Crime?," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 80(4), pages 1237-1266.
    7. Liebert, Helge & Mäder, Beatrice, 2016. "The impact of regional health care coverage on infant mortality and disease incidence," Economics Working Paper Series 1620, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science.
    8. Paul van den Noord & Terje Hagen & Tor Iversen, 1998. "The Norwegian Health Care System," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 198, OECD Publishing.
    9. Martha J. Bailey & Andrew Goodman-Bacon, 2015. "The War on Poverty's Experiment in Public Medicine: Community Health Centers and the Mortality of Older Americans," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(3), pages 1067-1104, March.
    10. Farasat A. S. Bokhari & Yunwei Gai & Pablo Gottret, 2007. "Government health expenditures and health outcomes," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(3), pages 257-273, March.
    11. A. Colin Cameron & Douglas L. Miller, 2015. "A Practitioner’s Guide to Cluster-Robust Inference," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 50(2), pages 317-372.
    12. Carril, Rodrigo & Duggan, Mark, 2020. "The impact of industry consolidation on government procurement: Evidence from Department of Defense contracting," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    13. Hope Corman & Dhaval M. Dave & Nancy Reichman, 2018. "Effects of Prenatal Care on Birth Outcomes: Reconciling a Messy Literature," NBER Working Papers 24885, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Mansour Farahani & S. V. Subramanian & David Canning, 2010. "Effects of state‐level public spending on health on the mortality probability in India," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(11), pages 1361-1376, November.
    15. Susan Athey & Guido W. Imbens, 2017. "The State of Applied Econometrics: Causality and Policy Evaluation," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 31(2), pages 3-32, Spring.
    16. Jostein Grytten & Lars Monkerud & Irene Skau & Anne Eskild & Rune J. Sørensen & Ola Didrik Saugstad, 2017. "Saving Newborn Babies – The Benefits of Interventions in Neonatal Care in Norway over More Than 40 Years," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(3), pages 352-370, March.
    17. Till Bärnighausen & David E. Bloom, 2008. "Financial incentives for return of service in underserved areas: a systematic review," PGDA Working Papers 3608, Program on the Global Demography of Aging.
    18. Prashant Bharadwaj & Katrine Vellesen L?ken & Christopher Neilson, 2013. "Early Life Health Interventions and Academic Achievement," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(5), pages 1862-1891, August.
    19. Luiz Felipe Campos Fontes & Otavio Canozzi Conceição & Paulo de Andrade Jacinto, 2018. "Evaluating the impact of physicians' provision on primary healthcare: Evidence from Brazil's More Doctors Program," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(8), pages 1284-1299, August.
    20. Jere R. Behrman & Mark R. Rosenzweig, 2004. "Returns to Birthweight," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 86(2), pages 586-601, May.
    21. Wilcox, A.J. & Skjoerven, R., 1992. "Birth weight and perinatal mortality: The effect of gestational age," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 82(3), pages 378-382.
    22. repec:ucn:wpaper:10197/317 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Godager , Geir & Scott, Anthony, 2023. "Physician Behavior and Health Outcomes," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2023:3, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bhalotra, Sonia & Clarke, Damian & Mühlrad, Hanna & Palme, Mårten, 2021. "Health and Labor Market Impacts of Twin Birth : Evidence from a Swedish IVF Policy Mandate," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1391, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    2. Gabriella Conti & Mark Hanson & Hazel Inskip & Sarah Crozier & Cyrus Cooper & Keith Godfrey, 2018. "Beyond Birth Weight: The Origins of Human Capital," Working Papers 2018-089, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    3. Hilary Hoynes & Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach & Douglas Almond, 2016. "Long-Run Impacts of Childhood Access to the Safety Net," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(4), pages 903-934, April.
    4. Cortés, Darwin & Maldonado, Darío & Gallego, Juan & Charpak, Nathalie & Tessier, Rejean & Ruiz, Juan Gabriel & Hernandez, José Tiberio & Uriza, Felipe & Pico, Julieth, 2022. "Comparing long-term educational effects of two early childhood health interventions," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    5. Noghanibehambari, Hamid & Engelman, Michal, 2022. "Social insurance programs and later-life mortality: Evidence from new deal relief spending," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    6. Douglas Almond & Janet Currie & Valentina Duque, 2018. "Childhood Circumstances and Adult Outcomes: Act II," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 56(4), pages 1360-1446, December.
    7. Samuel Berlinski & Norbert Schady, 2015. "Daycare Services: It’s All about Quality," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Samuel Berlinski & Norbert Schady (ed.), The Early Years, chapter 4, pages 91-119, Palgrave Macmillan.
    8. Maruyama, Shiko & Heinesen, Eskil, 2020. "Another look at returns to birthweight," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    9. Sievertsen, Hans Henrik & Wüst, Miriam, 2017. "Discharge on the day of birth, parental response and health and schooling outcomes," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 121-138.
    10. M. Caridad Araujo & Yyannu Cruz-Aguayo & Analia Jaimovich & Sharon Lynn Kagan, 2015. "Drawing Up an Institutional Architecture," IDB Publications (Book Chapters), in: Samuel Berlinski & Norbert Schady (ed.), The Early Years: Child Well-Being and the Role of Public Policy, edition 1, chapter 7, pages 179-202, Inter-American Development Bank.
    11. Huang, Wei & Liu, Hong, 2023. "Early childhood exposure to health insurance and adolescent outcomes: Evidence from rural China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    12. Ji Yan, 2017. "Healthy Babies: Does Prenatal Care Really Matter?," Working Papers 17-09, Department of Economics, Appalachian State University.
    13. Johnson, Eric & Reynolds, C. Lockwood, 2013. "The effect of household hospitalizations on the educational attainment of youth," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 165-182.
    14. Boudreaux, Michel H. & Golberstein, Ezra & McAlpine, Donna D., 2016. "The long-term impacts of Medicaid exposure in early childhood: Evidence from the program's origin," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 161-175.
    15. Laura E. Dee & Paul J. Ferraro & Christopher N. Severen & Kaitlin A. Kimmel & Elizabeth T. Borer & Jarrett E. K. Byrnes & Adam Thomas Clark & Yann Hautier & Andrew Hector & Xavier Raynaud & Peter B. R, 2023. "Clarifying the effect of biodiversity on productivity in natural ecosystems with longitudinal data and methods for causal inference," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    16. Damian Clarke & Gustavo Cortés Méndez & Diego Vergara Sepúlveda, 2020. "Growing together: assessing equity and efficiency in a prenatal health program," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 33(3), pages 883-956, July.
    17. Amin, Vikesh & Lundborg, Petter & Rooth, Dan-Olof, 2015. "The intergenerational transmission of schooling: Are mothers really less important than fathers?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 100-117.
    18. Santosh Kumar & Fidel Gonzalez, 2018. "Effects of health insurance on birth weight in Mexico," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(8), pages 1149-1159, August.
    19. Petter Lundborg & Carl Hampus Lyttkens & Paul Nystedt, 2016. "The Effect of Schooling on Mortality: New Evidence From 50,000 Swedish Twins," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(4), pages 1135-1168, August.
    20. Gabriella Conti & Rita Ginja, 2023. "Who Benefits from Free Health Insurance?: Evidence from Mexico," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 58(1), pages 146-182.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:30:y:2021:i:12:p:2974-2994. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/5749 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.