Media release

From: New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA)

Key Points

• This paper examines long- and short-run statistical correlations between various mortality rates and macroeconomic unemployment in New Zealand over the post-WWII period.
• Although elderly mortality rates have been decreasing throughout the post-war period, reductions in elderly mortality accelerate during periods of increasing unemployment.
• Deaths from suicides and assaults exhibit a positive long-run statistical relationship with the unemployment rate.

Summary

Mortality rates in New Zealand exhibit both short-run procyclical features and long-run countercyclical features. Although elderly mortality rates have been decreasing over the post-war period, reductions in elderly mortality accelerated during periods of increasing unemployment. In contrast, deaths from suicides and assaults exhibited a positive long-run statistical relationship with the unemployment rate, meaning that periods of high unemployment were associated with increased suicides and assaults resulting in death.