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  3. American Economic Review
  4. March 2023
  5. When a Doctor Falls from the Sky: The Impact of Easing Doctor Supply Constraints on Mortality

When a Doctor Falls from the Sky: The Impact of Easing Doctor Supply Constraints on Mortality

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Abstract

This paper describes the results of a policy experiment conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government. In this experiment, some communities were randomly selected to receive a new doctor. These doctors were posted to the local public health center. Prior to their arrival, health care was provided by midlevel health-care providers (MLP). To separate the effect of (ostensibly higher) quality from that of quantity, another group of communities was provided with an additional midlevel provider. A third group of communities received no additional workers. No other inputs were provided. I find a measurable decrease in mortality in communities assigned a doctor but not in communities assigned an MLP, suggesting that quality in the health-care sector is a significant constraint.

Citation

Okeke, Edward N. 2023. "When a Doctor Falls from the Sky: The Impact of Easing Doctor Supply Constraints on Mortality." American Economic Review, 113 (3): 585-627. DOI: 10.1257/aer.20210701

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • I11 Analysis of Health Care Markets
  • I12 Health Behavior
  • O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
  • O18 Economic Development: Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure