Full Citation
Title: Controlling Tuberculosis? Evidence from the First Community-Wide Health Experiment
Citation Type: Working Paper
Publication Year: 2019
ISBN:
ISSN:
DOI: 10.3386/w25884
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Abstract: This paper studies the immediate and long-run mortality effects of the first community-based health intervention in the world – the Framingham Health and Tuberculosis Demonstration, 1917-1923. The official evaluation committee and the historical narrative suggest that the demonstration was highly successful in controlling tuberculosis and reducing mortality. Using newly digitized annual cause-of-death data for municipalities in Massachusetts, 1901-1934, and different empirical strategies, we find little evidence to support this positive assessment. In fact, we find that the demonstration did not reduce tuberculosis mortality, all-age mortality, nor infant mortality. These findings contribute to the ongoing debate on whether public-health interventions mattered for the decline in (tuberculosis) mortality prior to modern medicine. At a more fundamental level, our study questions this particular type of community-based setup with non-random treatment assignment as a method of evaluating policy interventions.
Url: http://www.nber.org/papers/w25884.pdf
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Authors: Clay, Karen; Egedesø, Peter Juul; Hansen, Casper Worm; Jensen, Peter Sandholt; Calkins, Avery
Series Title: NBER Working Paper Series
Publication Number: 25884
Institution: National Bureau of Economic Research
Pages:
Publisher Location: Cambridge, MA
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Health, Other, Population Health and Health Systems
Countries: