Segregation and Death: The Consequences of Slum Clearance on Mortality
Presented by:
Fernanda Rojas
Dept of Economics
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Thursday, April 25, 2024
3:45 pm-5:00 pm
Taylor-Hibbard Seminar Room (Rm103)
We study the effects of forced displacement on adults’ mortality. We use evidence from a slum clearance program implemented in Santiago, Chile, between 1979 and 1985 that forced slum families to relocate to public housing in low-income areas. Two-thirds of families were relocated to new housing projects on the periphery of the city, and the rest received housing at their initial location. We compare the outcomes of displaced and non-displaced adults from slums with the same probability of being cleared and find displacement increases mortality: Displaced adults die 30% more per year and the effect is relatively constant across 35 years after the intervention. Increases in mortality appear after the age of 40, and causes of death vary by gender: Women are more likely to die of disease-related causes such as heart disease or diabetes, and men are more likely to die of external/violent causes. Because of higher segregation and lower access to jobs in destination neighborhoods, our results suggest poverty could be the channel to increased mortality among displaced individuals.