IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/forpol/v11y2009i4p253-259.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Evaluating natural resource amenities in a human life expectancy production function

Author

Listed:
  • Poudyal, Neelam C.
  • Hodges, Donald G.
  • Bowker, J.M.
  • Cordell, H.K.

Abstract

This study examined the effect of natural resource amenities on human life expectancy. Extending the existing model of the life expectancy production function, and correcting for spatial dependence, we evaluated the determinants of life expectancy using county level data. Results indicate that after controlling for socio-demographic and economic factors, medical facilities and risk factors, counties with natural amenities such as high proportion of land in forests, farmland, rangeland and water bodies, as well as mild climate such as longer sunlight hours during winter and cooler year around temperature exhibited longer life expectancies at birth. In addition, counties containing state parks and outdoor recreation facilities, and those located near federal wilderness parks were associated with the longer expectancies at birth. Findings from this study have several implications for natural resource economics and management, public health, and human development. An important message of our findings is that the traditional approach of public health should be extended beyond just controlling diseases or treating patients to a more comprehensive approach that also acknowledges the preservation and utilization of natural resources, environmental amenities, and outdoor recreation opportunities in maintaining public health, quality of life, and overall human development.

Suggested Citation

  • Poudyal, Neelam C. & Hodges, Donald G. & Bowker, J.M. & Cordell, H.K., 2009. "Evaluating natural resource amenities in a human life expectancy production function," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 253-259, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:forpol:v:11:y:2009:i:4:p:253-259
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389-9341(09)00047-1
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gradstein, Mark & Kaganovich, Michael, 2004. "Aging population and education finance," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 2469-2485, December.
    2. Poudyal, Neelam C. & Hodges, Donald G. & Cordell, H. Ken, 2008. "The role of natural resource amenities in attracting retirees: Implications for economic growth policy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1-2), pages 240-248, December.
    3. Steven C. Deller & Tsung-Hsiu (Sue) Tsai & David W. Marcouiller & Donald B.K. English, 2001. "The Role of Amenities and Quality of Life In Rural Economic Growth," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 83(2), pages 352-365.
    4. Gordon Anderson, 2005. "LIFE EXPECTANCY AND ECONOMIC WELFARE: THE EXAMPLE OF AFRICA IN THE 1990s," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 51(3), pages 455-468, September.
    5. Hertz, Erica & Hebert, James R. & Landon, Joan, 1994. "Social and environmental factors and life expectancy, infant mortality, and maternal mortality rates: Results of a cross-national comparison," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 105-114, July.
    6. Kilungu Nzaku & James O. Bukenya, 2005. "Examining The Relationship Between Quality Of Life Amenities And Economic Development In The Southeast Usa," Review of Urban & Regional Development Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(2), pages 89-103, July.
    7. James W. Shaw & William C. Horrace & Ronald J. Vogel, 2005. "The Determinants of Life Expectancy: An Analysis of the OECD Health Data," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 71(4), pages 768-783, April.
    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. Giltman, M. & Pit, V. & Batyreva, M. & Sumik, E., 2020. "Which cities do we like to live in? Empirical analysis of employees' attitude to cities," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 45(1), pages 111-130.
    2. Pilar Gracia-de-Rentería & Hugo Ferrer-Pérez & Ana Isabel Sanjuán & George Philippidis, 2023. "Live and let live: understanding the temporal drivers and spillovers of life expectancy in Europe for public planning," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 24(3), pages 335-347, April.
    3. Ghimire, Ramesh & Green, Gary T. & Ferreira, Susana & Poudyal, Neelam C. & Cordell, H. Ken, 2015. "Green Space and Adult Obesity Prevalence in the United States," 2015 Annual Meeting, January 31-February 3, 2015, Atlanta, Georgia 196812, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    4. Ghimire, Ramesh & Ferreira, Susana & Green, Gary T. & Poudyal, Neelam C. & Cordell, H. Ken & Thapa, Janani R., 2017. "Green Space and Adult Obesity in the United States," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 201-212.
    5. Peng, Ling & Hong, Yongmiao, 2013. "Productivity spillovers among linked sectors," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 44-61.
    6. Rasha M. S. Istaiteyeh, 2017. "Economic and Social Factors in Shaping Jordan’s Life Expectancy: Empirical Analysis (1990-2014)," Advances in Management and Applied Economics, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 7(5), pages 1-4.
    7. Meier, Justin T. & Kilgore, Michael A. & Frey, Gregory E. & Snyder, Stephanie A. & Blinn, Charles R., 2019. "A comparison of participants and non-participants of state forest property tax programs in the United States," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 10-16.
    8. Mduduzi Biyase & Tajul Ariffin Masron & Talent Zwane & Thomas Bilaliib Udimal & Frederich Kirsten, 2023. "Ecological Footprint and Population Health Outcomes: Evidence from E7 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-18, May.
    9. repec:wyi:journl:002193 is not listed on IDEAS

    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. Waltert, Fabian & Schläpfer, Felix, 2010. "Landscape amenities and local development: A review of migration, regional economic and hedonic pricing studies," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 141-152, December.
    2. Stéphanie Truchet & Nicolas Mauhe & Marie Herve, 2017. "Veterinarian shortage areas: what determines the location of new graduates?," Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies, Springer, vol. 98(4), pages 255-282, December.
    3. Amanda L. Weinstein & Michael Hicks & Emily Wornell, 2023. "An aggregate approach to estimating quality of life in micropolitan areas," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 70(2), pages 447-476, April.
    4. Ben Said FOUED, 2015. "Tunisian Coastal Cities Attractiveness And Amenities," Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 10(3), pages 49-70, August.
    5. Fabian Waltert & Felix Schlaepfer, 2007. "The role of landscape amenities in regional development: a survey of migration, regional economic and hedonic pricing studies," SOI - Working Papers 0710, Socioeconomic Institute - University of Zurich.
    6. Maribel Mojica & Tesfa Gebremedhin & Peter Schaeffer, 2009. "An Empirical Analysis of the Link between Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth in West Virginia," Working Papers Working Paper 2009-02, Regional Research Institute, West Virginia University.
    7. Guangqing Chi & David Marcouiller, 2011. "Isolating the Effect of Natural Amenities on Population Change at the Local Level," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(4), pages 491-505.
    8. Dan S. Rickman & Shane D. Rickman, 2011. "Population Growth In High‐Amenity Nonmetropolitan Areas: What'S The Prognosis?," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(5), pages 863-879, December.
    9. ŞENTÜRK, İsmail & Ali, Amjad, 2019. "Socioeconomic Determinants of Gender Specific Life Expectancy in Turkey: A Time Series Analysis," MPRA Paper 97815, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Ya-Hui Huang & Chien-Chiang Lee & Chun-Ping Chang, 2016. "Medical Personnel and Life Expectancy: New Evidence from Taiwan," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 128(3), pages 1425-1447, September.
    11. Deller, Steven C., 2007. "The Role of Microenterprises in Economic Growth: A Panel Study of Wisconsin Counties 1977 to 1997," Staff Papers 92140, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    12. Donovan, Geoffrey H. & Cerveny, Lee K. & Gatziolis, Demetrios, 2016. "If you build it, will they come?," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 135-140.
    13. Stock, James H. & Bradt, Jacob T., 2020. "Analysis of proposed 20-year mineral leasing withdrawal in Superior National Forest," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    14. Amjad Ali & Marc Audi & Yannick Roussel, 2021. "Economic Misery, Urbanization and Life Expectancy in MENA Nations: An Empirical Analysis," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 11(5), pages 17-27.
    15. Joanna P. Ganning & Kathy Baylis & Bumsoo Lee, 2013. "Spread And Backwash Effects For Nonmetropolitan Communities In The U.S," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 464-480, August.
    16. Poudyal, Neelam C. & Hodges, Donald G. & Cordell, H. Ken, 2008. "The role of natural resource amenities in attracting retirees: Implications for economic growth policy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1-2), pages 240-248, December.
    17. Kent Kovacs & Robert G. Haight & Grant West, 2017. "Protected Area Designation, Natural Amenities, and Rural Development of Forested Counties in the Continental United States," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(4), pages 611-639, December.
    18. Ionel Muntele & Marinela Istrate & Alexandru Bănică & Raluca-Ioana Horea-Șerban, 2020. "Trends in Life Expectancy in Romania between 1990 and 2018. A Territorial Analysis of Its Determinants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-17, May.
    19. Anura Amarasinghe & Gerard D'Souza & Cheryl Brown & Tatiana Borisova, 2006. "A Spatial Analysis of Obesity in West Virginia," Working Papers Working Paper 2006-13, Regional Research Institute, West Virginia University.
    20. Gonzalez-Eiras, Martín & Niepelt, Dirk, 2012. "Ageing, government budgets, retirement, and growth," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(1), pages 97-115.

    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:eee:forpol:v:11:y:2009:i:4:p:253-259. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/forpol .

    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.