Is austerity responsible for the recent change in mortality trends across high-income nations? A protocol for an observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Mortality rates in many high-income countries have changed from their long-term trends since around 2011. This paper sets out a protocol for testing the extent to which economic austerity can explain the variance in recent mortality trends across high-income countries.

Methods and analysis

This is an ecological natural experiment study, which will use regression adjustment to account for differences in exposure, outcomes and confounding. All high-income countries with available data will be included in the sample. The timing of any changes in the trends for four measures of austerity (the Alesina-Ardagna Fiscal Index, real per capita government expenditure, public social spending and the cyclically adjusted primary balance) will be identified and the cumulative

SUBMITTER: McCartney G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7044814 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature