Is Trade Good for Your Health?

Hamilton College Working Paper No. 01-09

25 Pages Posted: 20 Nov 2001

See all articles by Ann L. Owen

Ann L. Owen

Hamilton College - Economics Department

Stephen Wu

Hamilton College - Economics Department

Date Written: November 2001

Abstract

We use a panel of 139 countries to examine the relationship between a country's openness to international trade and several health outcomes and find that, in general, increased openness is associated with lower rates of infant mortality and higher average life expectancies, especially in developing countries. There is some preliminary evidence suggesting that part, but not all, of the positive association between openness and health may result from more open economies receiving more development aid.

Keywords: health, international trade, infant mortality, life expectancy, human capital

JEL Classification: F49, I12, O11, O19

Suggested Citation

Owen, Ann L. and Wu, Stephen, Is Trade Good for Your Health? (November 2001). Hamilton College Working Paper No. 01-09, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=291055 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.291055

Ann L. Owen (Contact Author)

Hamilton College - Economics Department ( email )

198 College Hill Road
Clinton, NY 13323
United States
315-859-4419 (Phone)
303-859-4477 (Fax)

Stephen Wu

Hamilton College - Economics Department ( email )

198 College Hill Road
Clinton, NY 13323
United States

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