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Relationship between economic recessions and health inequity: analysis of the gap in life expectancy at birth between Mexican States

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: To estimate the effect of economic recessions on health inequality, with a focus on identifying recessions that have a health component. This retrospective observational study uses the interannual rate of change in gross domestic product (GDP) as an indicator of economic conditions, and life expectancy at birth among Mexican states as a measure of health inequality. We calculated the Gini coefficient of life expectancy for the period 1980 to 2021 and examined its relationship with identified recessions through graphical analysis and an interrupted time series model. The disparity in life expectancy at birth between states decreased over the study period. However, the Gini coefficient of life expectancy showed an inverse relationship with the interannual rate of GDP change, indicating increased inequality during economic recessions, with the most pronounced effect observed during the COVID-19-associated recession in 2020. Economic recessions have detrimental effects on health, exacerbating pre-existing inequalities. It is crucial to implement protection mechanisms targeted at socially vulnerable populations to mitigate these effects and prevent the widening of health inequalities. Recessions increase mortality and exacerbate health inequalities: Economic recessions not only lead to higher mortality rates but also amplify health disparities across different regions, with vulnerable populations disproportionately affected. The COVID-19 recession unequally impacted life expectancy: The recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities in life expectancy across Mexican states, further widening the health gap between more and less advantaged populations.

Source: Health Economics Review

DOI: 10.1186/s13561-025-00618-7

Authors: Juan Pablo Gutiérrez, Karina Mendoza, Armando Sánchez-Vargas, Stefano M. Bertozzi

Institutions: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, University of Washington, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, University of California, Berkeley

Language: English

Topic: Health disparities and outcomes

Subfield: Health

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Good health and well-being, Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,990