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The mental health cost of corruption: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

Author

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  • Robert Gillanders

Abstract

This paper examines the effect that experiencing corruption has on an individual’s mental health using microeconomic data from the Afrobarometer surveys. The results show a statistically significant and economically meaningful effect in both binary and ordered probit models using both an experience of corruption index and a simple binary variable. Having to pay a bribe to obtain documents and permits, to avoid problems with the police or to access medical care emerge as the arenas in which corruption can have a damaging effect on mental health. Some evidence is presented that an individual needs to experience such corruption more than ‘once or twice’ for this effect to become evident.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Gillanders, 2011. "The mental health cost of corruption: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 201126, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucn:wpaper:201126
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10197/3680
    File Function: First version, 2011
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    Cited by:

    1. Sharma, Smriti & Singhal, Saurabh & Tarp, Finn, 2021. "Corruption and mental health: Evidence from Vietnam," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 125-137.
    2. Robert Gillanders, 2014. "Corruption and Infrastructure at the Country and Regional Level," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(6), pages 803-819, June.
    3. Gillanders, Robert & van der Werff, Lisa, 2020. "Corruption Experiences and Attitudes to Political, Interpersonal, and Domestic Violence," MPRA Paper 99949, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Iddisah Sulemana, 2015. "An Empirical Investigation of the Relationship Between Social Capital and Subjective Well-Being in Ghana," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(5), pages 1299-1321, October.
    5. Hinks, Timothy, 2020. "Bribery, motivations for bribery and life satisfaction in transitional countries," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    6. van Deurzen, Ioana, 2017. "And justice for all: Examining corruption as a contextual source of mental illness," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 26-34.
    7. Krisztina Gero & Daniel Kim, 2020. "Prospective associations between US state-level corruption and individual-level cardiovascular risk factors among middle-aged Americans: The National Longitudinal Survey of Youths 1979," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 65(9), pages 1737-1748, December.
    8. Fu, Jiawei & Zhou, Congyi, 2024. "The impact of anti-corruption on mental health: Evidence from China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(4), pages 925-950.
    9. Smriti Sharma & Saurabh Singhal & Finn Tarp, 2020. "Corruption and mental health," Working Papers 296967914, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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