Poverty, pollution, and mortality : The 1918 influenza pandemic in a developing German economy

Title data

Franke, Richard:
Poverty, pollution, and mortality : The 1918 influenza pandemic in a developing German economy.
Munich Personal RePEc Archive
München , 2021 . - 35 p. - (MPRA Paper ; 107570 )

Official URL:

Abstract in another language

The paper provides a detailed analysis of excess mortality during the "Spanish Flu" in a developing German economy and the effect of poverty and air pollution on pandemic mortality. The empirical analysis is based on a difference-in-differences approach using annual all-cause mortality statistics at the parish level in the Kingdom of Württemberg. The papercomplements the existing literature on urban pandemic severity with comprehensive evidence from mostly rural parishes. The results show that middle and high-income parishes had a significantly lower increase in mortality rates than low-income parishes. Moreover, the mortality rate during the 1918 influenza pandemic was significantly higher in highly pollutedparishes compared to least polluted parishes.

Further data

Item Type:	Working paper, discussion paper
Keywords:	Pandemics; Spanish Flu; Income; Air Pollution; Mortality
Subject classification:	I14, I15, N34, Q53
Institutions of the University:	Faculties > Faculty of Law, Business and Economics > Department of Economics > Chair Economics VII: Quantitative Economic History Faculties Faculties > Faculty of Law, Business and Economics Faculties > Faculty of Law, Business and Economics > Department of Economics
Result of work at the UBT:	Yes
DDC Subjects:	300 Social sciences > 330 Economics 600 Technology, medicine, applied sciences > 610 Medicine and health 900 History and geography > 940 History of Europe
Date Deposited:	28 May 2021 06:41
Last Modified:	28 May 2021 06:41
URI:	https://eref.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/65508