John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
Reductions in official development assistance have been linked to increased mortality rates among mothers, children, and infants, according to a new study led by Stanford University. The research examined three decades of foreign aid sanctions and found that sanctions lasting five years or more could negate significant progress against maternal and child mortality.
The study began in 2022 and is the first to assess the global impact of aid sanctions on health, specifically maternal and child health. "Foreign policy can be strategic in advancing national interests while also protecting the health of mothers and children," said lead author Ruth Gibson, a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford Health Policy.
Published in The Lancet Global Health, the study adds to discussions about foreign aid restrictions. The U.S. Congress has been exploring ways to reduce negative impacts from such sanctions. After working extensively on maternal and child health issues, Gibson initiated this systematic study at Stanford's Center for Innovation in Global Health.
The research team included members from Stanford, Drexel University, and the University of Washington. They analyzed data from 1990 to 2019 to understand how past aid sanctions affected mortality rates. Their findings indicate that sanctions reduced approximately 2.4% of a country's total healthcare spending due to decreased development assistance for health.
Senior author Sebastien Bradley emphasized their rigorous econometric methods: "We take seriously the concern that conditions leading to aid sanctions may affect mortality directly." The researchers controlled for variables like GDP changes and battle-related deaths while comparing sanctioned countries with those never sanctioned.
Policy interventions were recommended by the researchers to mitigate the impact of aid sanctions on maternal and child health without compromising national security interests. Michele Barry from Stanford noted, "In a world where disease knows no borders, our national interests are well served by maintaining the health and stability of people in other nations."
Additional authors include Eran Bendavid, Gary Darmstadt, Paul Wise from Stanford University; co-authors from Drexel University; University of Washington; and Ifo Institute in Munich.
This research was funded by various institutions including Stanford's Center for Innovation in Global Health.
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