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Infant Mortality Decline and Its Socioeconomic Correlates in N ew Z ealand, 1873–1940
Author(s) -
Sadetskaya Katerina
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
australian economic history review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.493
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1467-8446
pISSN - 0004-8992
DOI - 10.1111/aehr.12073
Subject(s) - socioeconomic status , infant mortality , demography , perspective (graphical) , demographic economics , geography , economics , sociology , population , artificial intelligence , computer science
The popular view of N ew Z ealand during the first half of the twentieth century is one of a healthy country with exceptionally low infant mortality rates. This article reviews the non‐Māori ‘health transition’ and its determinants from a socioeconomic perspective and draws comparisons with A ustralia. Regional health inequalities are analysed through the lens of infant mortality. Socioeconomic correlates with infant mortality are investigated empirically. Panel regression estimates suggest that during the 1874–1919 period, improvements in real wages corresponded with falling infant deaths and thus better health outcomes, while increased housing density created unfavourable conditions for infant survival chances.