The Causal Effects of Place on Health and Longevity

Tatyana Deryugina and David Molitor

No 14748, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Life expectancy varies substantially across local regions within a country, raising conjectures that place of residence affects health. However, population sorting and other confounders make it difficult to disentangle the effects of place on health from other geographic differences in life expectancy. Recent studies have overcome such challenges to demonstrate that place of residence substantially influences health and mortality. Whether policies that encourage people to move to places that are better for their health or that improve areas that are detrimental to health are desirable depends on the mechanisms behind place effects, yet these mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Keywords: regional variation; life expectancy; place effects (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 R10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 46 pages
Date: 2021-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo, nep-hea and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

Published - published in: Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2021, 35 (4), 147–170

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Causal Effects of Place on Health and Longevity (2021)
Working Paper: The Causal Effects of Place on Health and Longevity (2021)
Working Paper: The Causal Effects of Place on Health and Longevity (2021)
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