Ulf Gerdtham
Professor
Estimating the effect of cesarean section rate on health outcome : Evidence from Swedish hospital data
Author
Summary, in English
This paper tests the null hypothesis of a zero effect of cesarean section rate on health outcome against the alternative of a positive effect. Using data from 59 hospitals in Sweden from 1988-92, we specify two separate linear regression models for health outcome, one with perinatal mortality, and the other with rate of asphyxia, as dependent variable. We estimate the models by single-year cross-section regressions and as pooled data systems. The null hypothesis cannot be rejected, i.e., we do not find any significant positive effect of cesarean section rate on health outcome. Thus, we conclude that an increase in cesarean section rate does not imply lower perinatal mortality or lower rate of asphyxia. This in turn indicates that the minimum cesarean section rate is optimal.
Publishing year
1999-12-01
Language
English
Pages
123-135
Publication/Series
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care
Volume
15
Issue
1
Document type
Journal article review
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Topic
- Economics
Keywords
- Cesarean section
- Economic consequences
- Health outcome
- Regression analysis
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0266-4623