Understanding how income differences affect deaths in the U.S. compared with other rich countries
Official title: The Recent Evolution and Cause-Specific Drivers of the U.S. Mortality Crisis by Area-Level Income in Comparison WithPeer Countries
Funded at National Bureau of Economic Research · NIH-11434281 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how money and poverty relate to death rates in the United States, comparing U.S. trends with peer countries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Bureau of Economic Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $576,783 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG103250-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11434281 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable as this is an analysis-focused grant rather than a direct clinical trial.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation is required for this study.
What this research studies
The researchers will analyze data on mortality by income level across different ages, focusing on cancers and heart-related causes. They will compare U.S. patterns to those in similar high-income countries to see how differences in income relate to when people die. The study emphasizes early-life conditions and how they influence lifelong health, and it will examine how mortality gaps have evolved over time. Results could help explain why the U.S. mortality crisis has widened and what might be done to reduce unfair differences.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could inform policies aimed at reducing income-related disparities in mortality and improving population health.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown income-related mortality gaps, but this project aims to fill gaps by including younger ages and international comparisons.
Where this research is happening
-
National Bureau of Economic Research
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schwandt, Hannes — National Bureau of Economic Research
- Study coordinator: Schwandt, Hannes
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.