Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP17978
Authors: Chiara Burlina; Andrés Rodríguez-Pose
Abstract: COVID-19 is mostly considered to have ravaged places with high levels of inequality and poverty. Yet, in the case of Europe, the evidence for this is limited. In this paper we address this gap in our knowledge by exploring how regional variations in poverty, wealth, and inter-personal inequality have shaped COVID-19-related excess mortality. The results show that during the first 18 months of the pandemic there is no link between inequality and poverty, on the one hand, and the lethality of the disease, on the other. The geographical concentration of wealthy people is related to more, not less, excess mortality.
Keywords: COVID-19; Europe; Inequality; Poverty
JEL Codes: D31; O43; R58
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Poverty (I32) | COVID-19 excess mortality (I12) |
| Material deprivation (I32) | COVID-19 excess mortality (I12) |
| Wealth concentration (D31) | COVID-19 excess mortality (I12) |
| Interpersonal inequality (D31) | COVID-19 excess mortality (I12) |
| Regional wealth (R11) | COVID-19 excess mortality (I12) |
| Healthcare accessibility (I11) | COVID-19 excess mortality (I12) |
| Air pollution (Q53) | COVID-19 excess mortality (I12) |