Saving Lives with Indexed Disaster Funds: Evidence from Mexico

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Del Valle, Alejandro
• 署名单位: University System of Georgia; Georgia State University
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-ECONOMIC POLICY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7731
• DOI: 10.1257/pol.20220066
• 发表日期: 2024
• 页码: 442-479
• 关键词: natural disasters; economic-development; mortality; income; RISK; hurricanes; inference; impacts; designs; deaths

摘要

Developing economies are not disproportionately exposed to natural disasters , but they experience significantly more deaths. Exploiting a discontinuity in the eligibility rules for Mexico's indexed disaster fund ( Fonden ) , I show that the accelerated reconstruction of public infrastructure can significantly mitigate the mortality impacts of disasters. Fonden's impact is concentrated in areas with medical infrastructure and among conditions responsive to basic and freely available medical care. These findings suggest that Fonden operates by restoring access to health services. I also show that Fonden is cost-effective relative to other interventions and that its benefit-cost ratio is at least 3.2. ( JEL D61, H12, H54, H84, I18, O13, Q54 )