Optimal Aging and Death: Understanding the Preston Curve

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelfagfællebedømt

Does prosperity lead to greater longevity? If so, what is the strength of the income channel? To address these questions we develop a life cycle model in which households are subject to physiological aging. In modeling aging we draw on recent research in the fields of biology and medicine. The speed of the aging process, and thus the age of death, are endogenously determined by optimal health investments. A calibrated version of the model accounts well for the observed nonlinear cross-country link between longevity and income, also known as the Preston curve
OriginalsprogEngelsk
Artikelnummer5
TidsskriftJournal of the European Economic Association
Vol/bind12
Udgave nummer3
Sider (fra-til)672-701
Antal sider30
ISSN1542-4766
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 1 jun. 2014

ID: 46129596