title: Economic cycles and child mortality: A cross-national study of the least developed countries.
abstract: This paper examines the effects of growth and recession periods on child mortality in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) during the period 1990-2010. We provide empirical evidence of uneven effects of variations in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita on the evolution of child mortality rate in periods of economic recession and expansion. A decrease in GDP per capita entails a significant rise in child mortality rates, whereas an increase does not affect child mortality significantly. In this context, official development assistance seems to play a crucial role in counteracting the increment in child mortality rates in recession periods, at least in those LDCs receiving greater aid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Economics (Economic Policy), University of Malaga, Campus El Ejido, E-29071 Malaga, Spain. Electronic address: sperezmoreno@uma.es.
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pérez-Moreno
authors.affiliation: PhD candidate, PhD Program in Economics and Business, University of Malaga, Campus El Ejido, E-29071 Malaga, Spain. Electronic address: c.blancoarana@uma.es.
authors.forename: María C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Blanco-Arana
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Economics (Statistics and Econometrics), University of Malaga, Campus El Ejido, E-29071 Malaga, Spain. Electronic address: barcenae@uma.es.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bárcena-Martín
mesh_terms: D001723:Birth Rate; D046688:Child Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D059066:Gross Domestic Product / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Child mortality; Growth; LDCs; Recession