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Rural–Urban Divide of COVID-19 Fatalities in India—Investigating the Role of Lifestyle Disorder Diseases

Author

Listed:
  • Parantap Basu

    (Durham University Business School)

  • Susmita Das

    (Assam University)

  • Arnab Dutta Choudhury

    (Assam University)

  • Ritwik Mazumder

    (Assam University)

  • Mahuya Sengupta

    (Assam University)

Abstract

Using data on weekly COVID-19 infections and fatalities at the district level for 19 states and 4 union territories of India, we investigate the determinants of COVID-19 deaths focusing exclusively on the second wave of infections. We include several macroeconomic and structural indicators for districts namely, per capita district domestic product, the degree of urbanization, population density, percentage of aged population, share of agriculture, poverty, among several others. Our findings suggest that fatalities have a clear rural–urban divide. Rural agricultural districts with more poor people have experienced less cases and fatalities. Fatalities are more clustered in prosperous and dense industrial districts. Regions having higher COVID-19 fatalities also have a higher proportion of ageing population with urban life-style disorder related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Prevalence of respiratory illnesses further aggravates the effects of some of these life-style disorder diseases on COVID-19 fatalities.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jqecon:v:23:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s40953-024-00422-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s40953-024-00422-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Arkadipta Ghosh & Arnab Mukherji, 2014. "Air Pollution and Respiratory Ailments among Children in Urban India: Exploring Causality," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 63(1), pages 191-222.
    2. 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.
    3. Ehlert, Andree, 2021. "The socio-economic determinants of COVID-19: A spatial analysis of German county level data," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    4. Menon, Nidhiya, 2021. "Does BMI predict the early spatial variation and intensity of Covid-19 in developing countries? Evidence from India," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    5. Parantap Basu & Ritwik Mazumder, 2021. "Regional disparity of covid-19 infections: an investigation using state-level Indian data," Indian Economic Review, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 215-232, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Government policy; Regulation; Public health; General welfare; Well-being;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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