Neighborhoods, networks, and delivery methods

Emilia Barili, Paola Bertoli and Veronica Grembi

Journal of Health Economics, 2021, vol. 80, issue C

Abstract: We examine the contribution of information transmission among pregnant women to geographic variation in C-sections in Lombardy, Italy. Defining networks as pregnant women living in the same municipality, we observe that if the incidence of C-sections within the womans network is one standard deviation higher over the 12 months preceding delivery, then her probability of delivering by C-section is 0.007 percentage points (3%) higher. This result is mainly a network effect on Italian women, while it arises from both network and neighborhood effects on foreign women. Both groups respond to additional information, such as the incidence of C-section complications. The selection of pregnant women across hospitals does not uniquely explain our results, which are robust to alternative sample selections and specifications.

Keywords: Cesarean sections; Networks; Neighborhood effects (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I1 I12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Neighborhoods, Networks, and Delivery Methods (2020)
Working Paper: Neighborhoods, Networks, and Delivery Methods (2020)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:80:y:2021:i:c:s0167629621000989

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102513

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