• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Saturday, August 2, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Health

The 2008 recession associated with greater decline in mortality in Europe

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
February 8, 2019
in Health
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

Study analyzes the impact of the economic crisis on the number of deaths recorded in 15 countries

IMAGE

Credit: Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash


Barcelona, 8 February 2019- In recent decades, Europe has experienced a downward trend in the annual number of deaths. Not only was this trend not arrested by the economic recession that started in 2008, in fact, the rate of decline increased during the recession years. This acceleration has been evidenced by the results of a study published in Nature Communications and led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by “la Caixa”.

The objective of the study was to ascertain whether the pattern of mortality in Europe was procyclical or countercyclical, that is, whether the downward trend in the death rate accelerates or slows down during periods of economic recession. The researchers analysed data on daily mortality and variations in per capita gross domestic product (GDP) across 140 regions in 15 European countries for the period 2000-2010.

Statistical analysis of the dataset not only showed an acceleration in the decline in mortality during the recession years, but also revealed that the tendency towards a reduction in mortality was more marked in the countries and regions where the recession was most severe.

The authors cite several factors to explain this correlation between economic recession and a faster decline in mortality. In the opinion of Joan Ballester, ISGlobal researcher and first author of the study, “Periods of macroeconomic recession are associated with lower levels of pollution and fewer accidents in the workplace and on the roads. These are the factors most likely to have the greatest influence on accelerating the decline in mortality. Alcohol and tobacco consumption also fall during periods of greater austerity, as do the prevalences of sedentary lifestyles and obesity. While the underlying mechanisms are still not well established, the findings of some studies also point to the influence of other factors, such as work stress and the fact that healthy habits demand time, something less available to a person working in a full-time job.”

The study found considerable variations across Europe. For example, in Spain, where the mortality rate was declining at a rate of 2% per year before the economic crisis, the impact of the recession was marked and mortality started to decline at a rate of 3% annually. In Germany, by contrast, where the recession was short and less severe, the annual decline in mortality went from 2.4% annually to 0.7%. “Of course, recessions are not a desirable way to boost life expectancy” Joan Ballester adds, “What we need to ensure is that periods of economic expansion are also characterised by better air quality, fewer accidents and more healthy lifestyles”.

The study also took into account the daily temperatures recorded during the whole study period to determine whether the trends observed were affected by the seasons. “The statistical analysis revealed that the relationship between variations in GDP and mortality was accentuated during the coldest months of the year, an indication that the causes of death may to some degree be dependent on the season”, explains Xavier Rodó, head of ISGlobal’s Climate and Health Programme and ICREA professor.

###

Reference

Joan Ballester, Jean-Marie Robine, François R. Herrmann, Xavier Rodó. Effect of the Great Recession on regional mortality trends in Europe. Nature Communications. (2019) 10:679 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-08539-w

(The link to the publication will work after the embargo)

Media Contact
Pau Rubio
[email protected]
34-696-912-841

Related Journal Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-08539-w

Tags: Business/EconomicsEpidemiologyMedicine/HealthMortality/LongevityPoverty/WealthSocioeconomics
Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

Dental Stem Cells Differentiate on Biodentine Nanofibers

Dental Stem Cells Differentiate on Biodentine Nanofibers

August 2, 2025
2-Hydroxyglutarate Drives Brown Fat Whitening via Nuclear Softening

2-Hydroxyglutarate Drives Brown Fat Whitening via Nuclear Softening

August 2, 2025

Special Collection: 2024 Aging Innovation Conference

August 2, 2025

Magnesium Implants Boost Bone-Immune Health In Vitro

August 2, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • Blind to the Burn

    Overlooked Dangers: Debunking Common Myths About Skin Cancer Risk in the U.S.

    60 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • Neuropsychiatric Risks Linked to COVID-19 Revealed

    44 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 11
  • Dr. Miriam Merad Honored with French Knighthood for Groundbreaking Contributions to Science and Medicine

    46 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 12
  • Study Reveals Beta-HPV Directly Causes Skin Cancer in Immunocompromised Individuals

    38 shares
    Share 15 Tweet 10

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Quantum Correlations Boost Dual-Comb Spectroscopy Precision

Flame Synthesis Creates Custom High-Entropy Metal Nanomaterials

Dental Stem Cells Differentiate on Biodentine Nanofibers

  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.