A single public health campaign to kill hookworms increased the life expectancy of an entire country by five years without making anyone richer.
Most people believe that living longer is a direct result of a country getting wealthier and improving its overall economy. Jamaica saw a massive spike in longevity during the early 20th century while its economic growth remained completely flat. This paradox was driven by a targeted effort to eradicate a single parasite that was devastating the population. By cutting infant mortality in half, the campaign added five years to the average person's life in just a decade. This proves that specific, low-cost medical interventions can be far more powerful than general economic progress.
The Jamaica Life Expectancy Paradox: The Role of the Hookworm Campaign
SSRN · 6714988
Despite stagnant economic and living conditions, early 20th-century colonial Jamaica experienced a remarkable increase in life expectancy — a phenomenon referred to as the Jamaica Paradox. One factor believed to be key in this transformation was the Hookworm Campaign (1919-1936), an island-wide, multi-faceted public health initiative to eradicate hookworm that not only involved de-worming treatments but also improved sanitation and the provision of health education. Using parish-level mortality