American Economic Journal:
Economic Policy
ISSN 1945-7731 (Print) | ISSN 1945-774X (Online)
The Best of Times, the Worst of Times: Understanding Pro-cyclical Mortality
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
vol. 7,
no. 4, November 2015
(pp. 279–311)
Abstract
It is well-known that mortality rates are pro-cyclical. In this paper, we attempt to understand why. We find little evidence that cyclical changes in individuals' own employment-related behavior drives the relationship; own-group employment rates are not systematically related to own-group mortality. Further, most additional deaths that occur when the economy is strong are among the elderly, particularly elderly women and those residing in nursing homes. We also demonstrate that staffing in nursing homes moves countercyclically. These findings suggest that cyclical fluctuations in the quality of health care may be a critical contributor to cyclical movements in mortality. (JEL E24, E32, I12, J16, L84)Citation
Stevens, Ann H., Douglas L. Miller, Marianne E. Page, and Mateusz Filipski. 2015. "The Best of Times, the Worst of Times: Understanding Pro-cyclical Mortality." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 7 (4): 279–311. DOI: 10.1257/pol.20130057Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- E24 Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
- E32 Business Fluctuations; Cycles
- I12 Health Behavior
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
- L84 Personal, Professional, and Business Services