Financial Crisis, Health Outcomes and Aging: Mexico in the 1980s and 1990s

59 Pages Posted: 24 Jul 2000 Last revised: 2 Sep 2022

See all articles by David M. Cutler

David M. Cutler

Harvard University - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Harvard University - Harvard Kennedy School (HKS)

Felicia Marie Knaul

World Health Organization (WHO); Fundacion Mexicana para la Salud

Rafael Lozano

World Health Organization (WHO)

Oscar Méndez Carniado

Fundacion Mexicana para la Salud

Beatriz Zurita

Fundacion Mexicana para la Salud

Date Written: June 2000

Abstract

We study the impact of economic crisis on health in Mexico. There have been four wide-scale economic crises in Mexico in the past two decades, the most recent in 1995-96. We find that mortality rates for the very young and the elderly increase or decline less rapidly in crisis years as compared with non-crisis years. In late 1995-96 crisis, mortality rates were about 5 to 7 percent higher in the crisis years compared to the years just prior to the crisis. This translates into a 0.4 percent increase in mortality for the elderly and a 0.06 percent increase in mortality for the very young. We find tentative evidence that economic crises affect mortality by reducing incomes and possibly by placing a greater burden on the medical sector, but not by forcing less healthy members of the population to work or by forcing primary caregivers to go to work.

Suggested Citation

Cutler, David M. and Knaul, Felicia Marie and Lozano, Rafael and Méndez Carniado, Oscar and Zurita, Beatriz, Financial Crisis, Health Outcomes and Aging: Mexico in the 1980s and 1990s (June 2000). NBER Working Paper No. w7746, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=233749

David M. Cutler (Contact Author)

Harvard University - Department of Economics ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

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Harvard University - Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) ( email )

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Felicia Marie Knaul

World Health Organization (WHO) ( email )

20 Avenue Appia
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Switzerland

Fundacion Mexicana para la Salud ( email )

Periférico Sur 4809
El Arenal Tepepan
Mexico DF, 01700

Rafael Lozano

World Health Organization (WHO) ( email )

20 Avenue Appia
Geneva 27, CH-1211
Switzerland

Oscar Méndez Carniado

Fundacion Mexicana para la Salud ( email )

Periferico Sur No. 4809
El Arenal Tepepan
Tlalpan C.P. 14610
Mexico

Beatriz Zurita

Fundacion Mexicana para la Salud ( email )

Periferico Sur No. 4809
El Arenal Tepepan
Tlalpan C.P. 14610
Mexico

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