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dc.titleThe Younger Age Profile of COVID-19 Deaths in Developing Countries
dc.contributor.authorChauvin, Juan Pablo
dc.contributor.authorFowler, Annabelle
dc.contributor.authorHerrera L., Nicolás
dc.contributor.orgunitDepartment of Research and Chief Economist
dc.coverageColombia
dc.coverageMexico
dc.date.available2020-11-23T00:00:00
dc.date.issue2020-11-23T00:00:00
dc.description.abstractThis paper examines why a larger share of COVID-19 deaths occurs among young and middle-aged adults in developing countries than in high-income countries. Using novel data at the country, city, and patient levels, we investigate the drivers of this gap in terms of the key components of the standard Susceptible-Infected-Recovered framework. We obtain three main results. First, we show that the COVID-19 mortality age gap is not explained by younger susceptible populations in developing countries. Second, we provide indirect evidence that higher infection rates play a role, showing that variables linked to faster COVID-19 spread such as residential crowding and labor informality are correlated with younger mortality age profiles across cities. Third, we show that lower recovery rates in developing countries account for nearly all of the higher death shares among young adults, and for almost half of the higher death shares among middle-aged adults. Our evidence suggests that lower recovery rates in developing countries are driven by a higher prevalence of preexisting conditions that have been linked to more severe COVID-19 complications, and by more limited access to hospitals and intensive care units in some countries.
dc.format.extent65
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0002879
dc.identifier.urlhttps://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/The-Younger-Age-Profile-of-COVID-19-Deaths-in-Developing-Countries.pdf
dc.language.isoen
dc.mediumAdobe PDF
dc.publisherInter-American Development Bank
dc.subjectYouth and Children
dc.subjectPublic Health Care
dc.subjectHealth Care
dc.subjectCoronavirus
dc.subjectPandemics
dc.subjectEmerging Market
dc.subject.jelcodeR10 - General Regional Economics: General
dc.subject.jelcodeJ10 - Demographic Economics: General
dc.subject.jelcodeI18 - Government Policy • Regulation • Public Health
dc.subject.jelcodeI14 - Health and Inequality
dc.subject.jelcodeO57 - Comparative Studies of Countries
dc.subject.keywordsdeveloping countries;Coronavirus;COVID-19;Mortality
dc.typeWorking Papers
idb.identifier.pubnumberIDB-WP-01154
idb.operationRG-K1415
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