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Pauvreté, Egalité, Mortalité: Mortality (In)Equality in France and the United States

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  • Janet Currie
  • Hannes Schwandt
  • Josselin Thuilliez

Abstract

We develop a method to compare levels and trends in inequality in mortality in the United States and France in a similar framework. The comparison shows that while income inequality has increased in both the United States and France, inequality in mortality in France remained remarkably low and stable. In the United States, inequality in mortality increased for older groups (especially women) while it decreased for children and young adults. These patterns highlight the fact that despite the strong cross-sectional relationship between income and health, there is no necessary connection between changes in income inequality and changes in health inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Janet Currie & Hannes Schwandt & Josselin Thuilliez, 2018. "Pauvreté, Egalité, Mortalité: Mortality (In)Equality in France and the United States," NBER Working Papers 24623, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24623
    Note: AG CH HC HE
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    Cited by:

    1. Radim Bohácek & Jesús Bueren & Laura Crespo & Pedro Mira & Josep Pijoan-Mas, 2018. "Inequality in Life Expectancies across Europe," Working Papers wp2018_1810, CEMFI.
    2. Max Brüning & Josselin Thuilliez, 2019. "Mortality and Macroeconomic Conditions: What Can We Learn From France?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(5), pages 1747-1764, October.
    3. Berman, Nicolas & Rotunno, Lorenzo & Ziparo, Roberta, 2020. "Sweet child of mine: Income, health and inequality," CEPR Discussion Papers 14444, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Florian Bonnet & Hippolyte d'Albis, 2020. "Spatial Inequality in Mortality in France over the Past Two Centuries," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 46(1), pages 145-168, March.
    5. Libertad González & Ana Rodriguez-Gonzalez, 2018. "Changes in Inequality in Mortality: New Evidence for Spain," Working Papers 1050, Barcelona Graduate School of Economics.
    6. Nicolas Berman & Lorenzo Rotunno & Roberta Ziparo, 2020. "Sweet child of mine: Parental income, child health and inequality," AMSE Working Papers 2005, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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