American Economic Journal:
Applied Economics
ISSN 1945-7782 (Print) | ISSN 1945-7790 (Online)
Health Care Centralization: The Health Impacts of Obstetric Unit Closures in the United States
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
(pp. 113–41)
Abstract
Over the last few decades, health care services in the United States have become more geographically centralized. We study how the loss of hospital-based obstetric units in over 400 counties affects maternal and infant health via a difference-in-differences design. We find that closures lead mothers to experience a significant change in birth procedures such as inductions and C-sections. In contrast to concerns voiced in the public discourse, the effects on a range of maternal and infant health outcomes are negligible or slightly beneficial. While women travel farther to receive care, closures induce women to receive higher quality care.Citation
Fischer, Stefanie, Heather Royer, and Corey White. 2024. "Health Care Centralization: The Health Impacts of Obstetric Unit Closures in the United States." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 16 (3): 113–41. DOI: 10.1257/app.20220341Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- I11 Analysis of Health Care Markets
- I18 Health: Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
- J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination