The White Death

We propose to study the consequences of public policies targeted at reducing Tuberculosis (TB) prevalence and deaths for mortality and economic development prior to the invention of antibiotics. Using differences-in-differences and triple differences research designs, we propose to investigate different historical policies using data from the US, Denmark and other European countries. This speaks to debates on whether public policy mattered for the decline in TB and whether improving the disease environment matters for economic performance. It also speaks to whether TB can be combatted in societies that faces drug resistant TB.

Dansk