Infant mortality, public policy and inequality - a comparison of 18 industrialised countries 1950-85

Bibliographic Data

ID2265623
AuthorsIrene Wennemo (Stockholm University, corresponding author)
Year1993
Volume15
Issue4
Pages429-446
Publication date1993-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociology of Health & Illness (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0141-9889 • E-ISSN: 1467-9566
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-9566.1993.tb00354.x
OpenAlexW2141215533
LanguageEN
Citations received42
References cited15

Using new comparative data bases this paper examines whether infant mortality rates in industrialised nations are affected by public policies and income inequality. Particular attention is given to the role of the level of economic development, public policy and the distribution of economic resources. The study shows that the level of economic development has a strong, but decreasing impact on the infant mortality rate. Income inequality and relative poverty rates appear to be of greater importance for the variation in infant mortality rates than the level of economic development between rich countries. Levels of unemployment and of social security benefits seems to affect the infant mortality rate; the combination of high unemployment and low unemployment benefits seems to be associated with particularly high mortality rates. A high level of family benefits is also associated with low infant mortality rates

Affect (linguistics · Demographic economics · Developing country · Development economics · Economic growth · Economic inequality · Economics · Income distribution · Inequality · Infant mortality · Mortality rate · Poverty · Sociology · Unemployment · Demography · Global Health Care Issues · Health disparities and outcomes · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare