Heterogeneity in disease resistance and the impact of antibiotics in the US

Justin Cook () and Jason Fletcher

Economics & Human Biology, 2022, vol. 47, issue C

Abstract: We hypothesize that the impact of antibiotics is moderated by a population’s inherent (genetic) resistance to infectious disease. Using the introduction of sulfa drugs in 1937, we show that US states that are more genetically susceptible to infectious disease saw larger declines in their bacterial mortality rates following the introduction of sulfa drugs in 1937. This suggests area-level genetic endowments of disease resistance and the discovery of medical technologies have acted as substitutes in determining levels of health across the US. We also document immediate effects of sulfa drug exposure to the age of the workforce and cumulative effects on educational attainment for cohorts exposed to sulfa drugs in early life.

Keywords: Difference-in-differences; Human Capital; Infectious disease; Genetic Resistance; Genetic Diversity; Antibiotics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Working Paper: Heterogeneity in Disease Resistance and the Impact of Antibiotics in the US (2022)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:47:y:2022:i:c:s1570677x2200051x

DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2022.101155

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