David Cutler: “The economy will not regain its footing until the health crisis is addressed”

American money

David Culter, PhD, has written a Commentary in the JAMA Forum that explains why the health care field may not weather a COVID-19 recession as well as it has survived previous economic crises. He also cautions that the economy in general will be impacted if people are hesitant to be exposed to risk, regardless of what restrictions may or may not be in place.

When can a healthy economy actually shorten a lifespan?

Part of the answer may depend on where you live (industrial vs. agricultural economy). The findings of recent work by Harvard Pop Center faculty member and health economist David Cutler and his colleagues is cited in this New York Times article. He also comments on how opioids may be influencing the impact that the economy has on our health.

David Cutler in JAMA Forum on what actions policy makers may need to take to address rising medical costs

Harvard Pop Center faculty member David Cutler, PhD, outlines three likely approaches—cutting prices, charging people more, and bundled payments—that policy makers may need to take to tackle the trend in rising medical costs experienced over the last three years in this JAMA Forum.

Many living longer with more time free from disability, thanks to advancements in cardiovascular & vision health

Harvard Pop Center faculty member David Cutler, PhD, is an author on an NBER working paper that reports that we are not only living longer, but are spending more time free from disability. The findings of the study are covered in this Harvard Gazette piece, and on MedicalXpress.

The protective effect of education for cohorts graduating in bad times

Timing is everything. A study by David Cutler confirms that graduates who enter the labor market during bad economic times experience lower income, lower life satisfaction, greater obesity, more smoking and drinking later in life. The study also noted that education plays a protective role for these outcomes, as educated individuals, even when entering the market at times of high unemployment, have a much lower incidence of these outcomes than their…