IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/presci/v101y2022i2p399-415.html

Urbanization and COVID‐19 incidence: A cross‐country investigation

Author

Listed:
  • Rafael González‐Val
  • Fernando Sanz‐Gracia

Abstract

This paper investigates the determinants of the diffusion and intensity of the COVID‐19 at the country level, focusing on the role played by urban agglomeration, measured using three urban variables: percentage of the urban population, population density, and primacy. We estimate the influence of urban agglomeration on two outcome variables: cumulative number of cases and deaths per 100,000 inhabitants up to 31 December 2020, using both parametric and semiparametric models. We also explore possible spatial effects. The non‐linear effects of the urban variables on the intensity of the disease reveal non‐monotonous relationships, suggesting that it is the size of the urban system that is linked to a stronger incidence. Este artículo investiga los determinantes de la difusión y la intensidad de COVID‐19 a nivel de país, centrándose en el papel que desempeña la aglomeración urbana, medida a través de tres variables urbanas: el porcentaje de población urbana, la densidad de población y la primacía. Se utilizaron modelos paramétricos y semiparamétricos para estimar la influencia de la aglomeración urbana en dos variables de resultado: el número acumulado de casos y de muertes por 100.000 habitantes hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2020. También se exploraron los posibles efectos espaciales. Los efectos no lineales de las variables urbanas sobre la intensidad de la enfermedad revelaron relaciones no monótonas, lo que sugiere que el tamaño del sistema urbano es lo que está vinculado a una mayor incidencia. 本稿では、都市集積が果たす役割に焦点を当てて、3つの都市変数〔urban variable:都市人口の割合(パーセンテージ)、人口密度、首座都市性(primacy)〕を用いて測定して、国レベルでのCOVID‐19の拡散とその強度の決定要因を調査する。パラメトリックモデル及びセミパラメトリックモデルの両方を用いて、2020年12月31日までの住民10万人当たりの累積症例数と死亡数の2つの結果変数に対する都市集積の影響を推定した。また、空間効果も推定した。疾患の強度に対する都市変数の非線形効果は非単調関係を示したことから、発生率をより大きくするのは都市システムのサイズであることが示唆された。

Suggested Citation

  • Rafael González‐Val & Fernando Sanz‐Gracia, 2022. "Urbanization and COVID‐19 incidence: A cross‐country investigation," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 101(2), pages 399-415, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:presci:v:101:y:2022:i:2:p:399-415
    DOI: 10.1111/pirs.12647
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/pirs.12647
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/pirs.12647?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. Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose & Chiara Burlina, 2021. "Institutions and the uneven geography of the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(4), pages 728-752, September.
    2. Barrios, Salvador & Strobl, Eric, 2009. "The dynamics of regional inequalities," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 575-591, September.
    3. Tamás Krisztin & Philipp Piribauer & Michael Wögerer, 2020. "The spatial econometrics of the coronavirus pandemic," Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 209-218, December.
    4. Hans-Joachim Voth, 2013. "The Three Horsemen of Riches: Plague, War, and Urbanization in Early Modern Europe," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 80(2), pages 774-811.
    5. Carozzi, Felipe & Provenzano, Sandro & Roth, Sefi, 2020. "Urban Density and COVID-19," IZA Discussion Papers 13440, IZA Network @ LISER.
    6. Durlauf, Steven N., 2001. "Manifesto for a growth econometrics," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 100(1), pages 65-69, January.
    7. Felipe Carozzi & Sandro Provenzano & Sefi Roth, 2020. "Urban density and Covid-19," CEP Discussion Papers dp1711, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    8. Lessmann, Christian, 2014. "Spatial inequality and development — Is there an inverted-U relationship?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 35-51.
    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. Parantap Basu & Susmita Das & Arnab Dutta Choudhury & Ritwik Mazumder & Mahuya Sengupta, 2025. "Rural–Urban Divide of COVID-19 Fatalities in India—Investigating the Role of Lifestyle Disorder Diseases," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 23(1), pages 33-58, March.
    2. Giovanni Busetta & Fabio Fiorillo, 2024. "Political Manipulation Behind the COVID-19 ‘Color Code’ in Italy?," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 10(2), pages 901-928, July.

    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. Robert J. R. Elliott & Ingmar Schumacher & Cees Withagen, 2020. "Suggestions for a Covid-19 Post-Pandemic Research Agenda in Environmental Economics," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 76(4), pages 1187-1213, August.
    2. Alfonso Díez‐Minguela & Rafael González‐Val & Julio Martinez‐Galarraga & M. Teresa Sanchis & Daniel A. Tirado, 2020. "The long‐term relationship between economic development and regional inequality: South‐West Europe, 1860–2010," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 99(3), pages 479-508, June.
    3. Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Wang, Han, 2021. "Local institutions and pandemics: City autonomy and the Black Death," CEPR Discussion Papers 16593, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    4. Santiago Lago-Peñas & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Agnese Sacchi, 2022. "Country performance during the Covid-19 pandemic: externalities, coordination, and the role of institutions," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 17-31, March.
    5. Rosina Moreno & Esther Vayá, 2023. ""Geographical distribution of the COVID-19 pandemic across waves in Spain"," IREA Working Papers 202301, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Jan 2023.
    6. repec:osf:osfxxx:5xerm_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Luis Bauluz & Sebastien Breau & Pawel Bukowski & Mark Fransham & Annie Seong Lee & Neil Lee & Margarita Lopez Forero & Clement Malgouyres & Filip Novokmet & Moritz Schularick & Gregory Verdugo, 2023. "Spatial wage inequality in North America and Western Europe: changes between and within local labour markets 1975-2019," CEP Discussion Papers dp1941, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    8. Jerzy Bański & Marcin Mazur & Wioletta Kamińska, 2021. "Socioeconomic Conditioning of the Development of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Global Spatial Differentiation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-15, April.
    9. Lessmann, Christian & Seidel, André, 2017. "Regional inequality, convergence, and its determinants – A view from outer space," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 110-132.
    10. Neha Deopa & Piergiuseppe Fortunato, 2022. "Language and the cultural markers of COVID-19," Post-Print hal-03665755, HAL.
    11. Richard Florida & Charlotta Mellander, 2022. "The geography of COVID-19 in Sweden," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 68(1), pages 125-150, February.
    12. Ellen, Ingrid Gould & Howland, Renata & Glied, Sherry, 2023. "Demons of density do higher-density environments put people at greater risk of contagious disease?," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(PB).
    13. Georg Hirte & Christian Lessmann, 2014. "Trade, Integration, and Interregional Inequality," CESifo Working Paper Series 4799, CESifo.
    14. Nadia Yusuf & Lamia Saud Shesha, 2021. "Economic Role of Population Density during Pandemics—A Comparative Analysis of Saudi Arabia and China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-18, April.
    15. Haimeng Liu & Liwei Wang & Jinzhou Wang & Hangtian Ming & Xuankuang Wu & Gang Xu & Shengwu Zhang, 2024. "Multidimensional spatial inequality in China and its relationship with economic growth," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    16. Gerritse, Michiel, 2022. "COVID-19 transmission in cities," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    17. Lessmann, Christian, 2014. "Spatial inequality and development — Is there an inverted-U relationship?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 35-51.
    18. Pajaron, Marjorie C. & Vasquez, Glacer Niño A., 2021. "How effective is community quarantine in the Philippines? A quasi-experimental analysis," GLO Discussion Paper Series 782, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    19. Mouratidis, Kostas, 2021. "How COVID-19 reshaped quality of life in cities: A synthesis and implications for urban planning," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    20. Gavin Shatkin & Vivek Mishra & Maria Khristine Alvarez, 2023. "Debates Paper: COVID-19 and urban informality: Exploring the implications of the pandemic for the politics of planning and inequality," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(9), pages 1771-1791, July.
    21. Roberto Ezcurra & Pedro Pascual, 2007. "Regional Polarisation and National Development in the European Union," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 44(1), pages 99-122, January.

    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:bla:presci:v:101:y:2022:i:2:p:399-415. 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://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1056-8190 .

    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.