Working Paper

Trade Liberalization and Mortality : Evidence from U.S. Counties

Abstract: We investigate the impact of a large economic shock on mortality. We find that counties more exposed to a plausibly exogenous trade liberalization exhibit higher rates of suicide and related causes of death, concentrated among whites, especially white males. These trends are consistent with our finding that more-exposed counties experience relative declines in manufacturing employment, a sector in which whites and males are over-represented. We also examine other causes of death that might be related to labor market disruption and find both positive and negative relationships. More-exposed counties, for example, exhibit lower rates of fatal heart attacks.

Keywords: International Trade; Mortality; Trade Policy; Unemployment;

https://doi.org/10.17016/FEDS.2016.094

Bibliographic Information

Provider: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.)

Part of Series: Finance and Economics Discussion Series

Publication Date: 2016-11

Number: 2016-094

Pages: 66 pages