Skip to main content
Log in

The effect of deviations from trends in national income on mortality: The Danish and USA data revisited

European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The issue of whether deviations from trends in national income predict mortality in Denmark is revisited. Earlier research has yielded mixed results. The hypothesis that increases, but not decreases, in inflation-adjusted per capita income are related to decreases in age standardized mortality is tested using methods responsive to criticisms of earlier work. Results support the hypothesis. The implications of the findings for research and policy are briefly discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Brenner MH. Mortality and the national economy. Lancet 1979; Sept: 568–573.

  2. Catalano R, Dooley D. The health effects of economic instability: A test of the economic stress hypothesis. J Health Social Behavior 1983; 24: 46–60.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Graham J, Chang B, Evans J. Poorer is riskier. Risk Analysis 1992; 12: 333–337.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Eyer, J. Does unemployment cause the death rate peak in each business cycle? A multifactor model of death rate change. Int J Health Services 1977; 7: 625–661.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Sogaard J. Econometric critique of the economic change model of mortality. Soc Sci Med 1992; 34: 947–957.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kessler R, House J, Turner B. Unemployment and health in a community sample. J Health Social Behavior 1987; 28: 51–59.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Szreter S. The importance of social intervention in Britain's mortality decline c. 1850–1914. A reinterpretation of the role of public health. Social History of Medicine 1988; 1: 1–37.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Dooley D, Catalano R. Do economic variables generate psychological problems? Different methods, different answers. In: Macfadyen AJ, Macfadyen HW (eds), Economic psychology: Intersections in theory and application. Amsterdam: North-Holland, 1986: 503–546.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Catalano R, Serxner S. Time series designs of potential interest to epidemiologists. Am J Epidemiol 1987; 126: 724–731.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Schwert G. Tests of causality: The message in the innovations. In: Brunner K, Meltzer AH (eds), Three aspects of policy and policymaking. New York: North-Holland, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  11. McCleary R, Hay R. Applied time-series analysis. London: Sage, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Box G, Jenkins, G. Time-series analysis: Forecasting and control. San Francisco: Holden-Day, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ljung G, Box G. On a measure of lack of fit in time-series models. Biometrika 1978; 65: 297–304.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Dickey D, Fuller W. Distribution of the estimators for autoregressive time series with a unit root. Journal of the American Statistical Society 1979; 74: 427–431.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Engle R, Yoo B. Forecasting and testing in cointegrated systems. Journal of Econometrics 1987; 35: 143–159.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Keiselbach T, Svensson P. Health and social policy responses to unemployment in Europe. J Social Issues 1988; 44: 173–192.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Catalano, R. The effect of deviations from trends in national income on mortality: The Danish and USA data revisited. Eur J Epidemiol 13, 737–743 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007408208962

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007408208962

Navigation