Working Paper: NBER ID: w9771
Authors: Robert W. Fogel
Abstract: Over the past three centuries there has been a rapid accumulation of physiological capital in OECD countries. Enhanced physiological capital is tied to long-term reduction in environmental hazards and to the conquest of chronic malnutrition. Data on heights and birth weights suggests that physiological capital has become more equally distributed, thereby reducing socioeconomic disparities in the burden of disease. Implications for health care policy are: (1) enhanced physiological capital has done more to reduce inequities in health status than has wider access to health care; (2) the main contribution of more advanced medical treatment so far has been to retard depreciation in individuals' physiological capital; (3) prenatal and early childhood care and environmental issues are key for interventions aimed at enhancing physiological capital and at affecting its rate of depreciation; (4) lifestyle change is the most important issue affecting health equity in rich countries; and (5) greater access to clinical care should be promoted through aggressive outreach, since expanded insurance coverage by itself is inadequate.
Keywords: No keywords provided
JEL Codes: I12; I18
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| enhanced physiological capital (D29) | reduced socioeconomic disparities in health outcomes (I14) |
| enhanced physiological capital (D29) | more effective in reducing health inequities than broader access to healthcare services (I14) |
| advanced medical treatments (I11) | slows depreciation of physiological capital (D15) |
| prenatal and early childhood care (J13) | enhances physiological capital (D29) |
| addressing environmental issues (Q56) | enhances physiological capital (D29) |
| lifestyle changes (I12) | affects health equity in wealthier nations (I14) |
| greater access to clinical care (I11) | promotes health equity (I14) |