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

Avdic, Daniel ; Lundborg, Petter LU and VikstrÖm, Johan (2024) In American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 16(1). p.160-189
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.

Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
volume
16
issue
1
pages
30 pages
publisher
American Economic Association
external identifiers
  • scopus:85186945145
ISSN
1945-7731
DOI
10.1257/pol.20200734
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
860a4097-9284-4d39-a061-ba3231f43e58
date added to LUP
2024-04-02 11:36:29
date last changed
2024-04-02 11:37:03
@article{860a4097-9284-4d39-a061-ba3231f43e58,
  abstract     = {{<p>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.</p>}},
  author       = {{Avdic, Daniel and Lundborg, Petter and VikstrÖm, Johan}},
  issn         = {{1945-7731}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{160--189}},
  publisher    = {{American Economic Association}},
  series       = {{American Economic Journal: Economic Policy}},
  title        = {{Does Health-Care Consolidation Harm Patients? Evidence from Maternity Ward Closures}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1257/pol.20200734}},
  doi          = {{10.1257/pol.20200734}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}