TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose To estimate the discounted money value of human lives lost (DMVHL) due to COVID-19 in Spain.Design/methodology/approach The study employs the human capital approach to estimate the DMVHL (assuming Spain's life expectancy of 83 years and a 3% discount rate) of the 20,453 human lives lost in Spain from COVID-19 as of 19 April 2020. Sensitivity analysis was conducted alternately assuming (a) 5% and 10% discount rate; and (b) global life expectancy of 72 years, and the world's highest life expectancy of 87.1 years.Findings The 20,453 human lives lost due to COVID-19 had a total DMVHL of Int$ 9,629,234,112, and an average of Int$ 470,798 per human life lost. Alternate re-estimation of the economic model with a 5% and 10% discount rates led to 19.8% and 47.4% reductions in the DMVHL, respectively. Re-calculation of the economic model using the global life expectancy of 72 years, while holding the discount rate constant at 3%, diminished the DMVHL by 41%. While the re-run of the same model using the world's highest life expectancy of 87.1 years instead, it increased the DMVHL by 18%.Research limitations/implications The study omits the value of health systems inputs used in preventing, diagnosing and treating COVID-19 cases; and the negative impact of COVID-19 on the agriculture, education, finance, manufacturing, travel, tourism, and trade sectors.Social implications There is a need to use this kind of evidence to advocate for increased investments into the strengthening of the national health system, IHR capacities, and coverage of safe water and sanitation facilities.Originality/value In Spain, no other study had attempted to estimate the net present value of human lives lost from COVID-19.
VL  - 34
IS  - 5
SN  - 2586-940X
DO  - 10.1108/JHR-04-2020-0116
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/JHR-04-2020-0116
AU  - Kirigia Joses Muthuri
AU  - Muthuri Rose Nabi Deborah Karimi
PY  - 2020
Y1  - 2020/01/01
TI  - The discounted money value of human lives lost due to COVID-19 in Spain
T2  - Journal of Health Research
PB  - Emerald Publishing Limited
SP  - 455
EP  - 460
Y2  - 2024/04/25
ER  -