Welfare States and Covid-19 Responses: Eastern versus Western Democracies

Nikolova Kristina () and Bejan Raluca
Additional contact information
Nikolova Kristina: School of Social Work, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada
Bejan Raluca: School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

Comparative Southeast European Studies, 2022, vol. 70, issue 4, 686-721

Abstract: This study uses a welfare state lens to examine disparities in Covid-19 infections and mortality rates between countries in Eastern Europe compared to West European democracies. Expanding on Esping-Andersen’s typology of welfare regimes, the authors compare six country groups to conduct a multivariate statistical analysis that, when controlling for economic and health differences, shows the number of cases and deaths per 100,000 to be significantly higher for Eastern Europe. In comparing First, Second, and Third Wave data, the difference in Covid-19 infections and mortality rates can be explained through stricter lockdown measures implemented in the East at the start of the First Wave. Overall higher numbers in the East reflect comparatively looser state measures in response to the Second and Third Waves as well as the lack of trust in government and the weak implementation of public health measures.

Keywords: public health policy; comparative policy; Covid-19; pandemic welfare (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://doi.org/10.1515/soeu-2021-0066 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bpj:soeuro:v:70:y:2022:i:4:p:686-721:n:1

DOI: 10.1515/soeu-2021-0066

Access Statistics for this article

Comparative Southeast European Studies is currently edited by Sabine Rutar

More articles in Comparative Southeast European Studies from De Gruyter
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Peter Golla ().