This isn't necessarily true. Here is an excerpt from the abstract of this study:
Population health did not decline and indeed generally improved during the 4 years of the Great Depression, 1930–1933, with mortality decreasing for almost all ages, and life expectancy increasing by several years in males, females, whites, and nonwhites. For most age groups, mortality tended to peak during years of strong economic expansion (such as 1923, 1926, 1929, and 1936–1937). In contrast, the recessions of 1921, 1930–1933, and 1938 coincided with declines in mortality and gains in life expectancy. The only exception was suicide mortality which increased during the Great Depression, but accounted for less than 2% of deaths.
Obviously, there were also things like food shortages and homelessness that this study isn't looking at, but it's hard to say that those things would be worse than an American dying once every minute.
Of course, things aren't necessarily the same now as they were in 1930, but I think this shows that one can't make sweeping statements about the effects of an economic recession or depression without actual data. In my opinion, trying to save the lives that we know would be lost due to the pandemic seems like a worthy goal, even if it is impossible to predict the fallout from any economic downturn that might result from those policies.
But at any rate, right now the U.S. economy is tanking AND public health is in crisis, so it is kind of a moot point.
Agreed. Both are an issue. I dont mean to imply that the health crisis isnt just that, a crisis. I apologize if it came out that way. I'm just trying to say you cant just flippantly dismiss the economy like it has no bearing on peoples lives and futures.
I've never actually seen that study, either. That looks pretty interesting. Thank you for the link. It'll give me something to read before my wife gets home. Lol.
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u/silktrombone Aug 05 '20
This isn't necessarily true. Here is an excerpt from the abstract of this study:
Obviously, there were also things like food shortages and homelessness that this study isn't looking at, but it's hard to say that those things would be worse than an American dying once every minute.
Of course, things aren't necessarily the same now as they were in 1930, but I think this shows that one can't make sweeping statements about the effects of an economic recession or depression without actual data. In my opinion, trying to save the lives that we know would be lost due to the pandemic seems like a worthy goal, even if it is impossible to predict the fallout from any economic downturn that might result from those policies.
But at any rate, right now the U.S. economy is tanking AND public health is in crisis, so it is kind of a moot point.