Does Health-Care Consolidation Harm Patients? Evidence from Maternity Ward Closures

Avdic, D; Lundborg, P; VikstrÖm, J

Does Health-Care Consolidation Harm Patients? Evidence from Maternity Ward Closures

Avdic, D Lundborg, P VikstrÖm, J

Permalink

Publisher:: AMER ECONOMIC ASSOC
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2024, 16, (1), pp. 160-189
Issue Date:: 2024-01-01

Closed Access

	Filename	Description	Size
	avdic-et-al-2024-does-health-care-consolidation-harm-patients-evidence-from-maternity-ward-closures.pdf	Published version	763.71 kB		View/Open

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Closed Access

This item is closed access and not available.

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Avdic, D
dc.contributor.author	Lundborg, P
dc.contributor.author	VikstrÖm, J
dc.date.accessioned	2025-03-07T02:48:41Z
dc.date.available	2025-03-07T02:48:41Z
dc.date.issued	2024-01-01
dc.identifier.citation	American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2024, 16, (1), pp. 160-189
dc.identifier.issn	1945-7731
dc.identifier.issn	1945-774X
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/185568
dc.description.abstract	We study how closures of maternity wards affect maternal and neonatal health. Using data on all hospital births in Sweden between 1990 and 2004, we compare changes in birth-related outcomes across hospital catchment areas that were differently exposed to ward closures. Our findings show that the closures increased maternal obstetric trauma but also decreased fetal stress and infant trauma among newborns. Adverse maternal outcomes are mainly driven by ward overcrowding, whereas increases in travel distance have no distinguishable effects. Positive effects on infant health reflect a shift of births from smaller to larger wards of higher quality. (JEL D24, G34, I11, I12, I18, J13, J16)
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	AMER ECONOMIC ASSOC
dc.relation.ispartof	American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1257/pol.20200734
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	1402 Applied Economics
dc.subject.classification	3502 Banking, finance and investment
dc.subject.classification	3801 Applied economics
dc.title	Does Health-Care Consolidation Harm Patients? Evidence from Maternity Ward Closures
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	16
utslib.for	1402 Applied Economics
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2025-03-07T02:48:40Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	16
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

We study how closures of maternity wards affect maternal and neonatal health. Using data on all hospital births in Sweden between 1990 and 2004, we compare changes in birth-related outcomes across hospital catchment areas that were differently exposed to ward closures. Our findings show that the closures increased maternal obstetric trauma but also decreased fetal stress and infant trauma among newborns. Adverse maternal outcomes are mainly driven by ward overcrowding, whereas increases in travel distance have no distinguishable effects. Positive effects on infant health reflect a shift of births from smaller to larger wards of higher quality. (JEL D24, G34, I11, I12, I18, J13, J16)

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/185568