nep-hap 2026-09-07 papers

on Economics of Happiness

Issue of 2026–09–07
two papers chosen by
Viviana Di Giovinazzo, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca

Returns to Caring? Health and Wellbeing Effects of Subsidized Long-Term Care By Joan Costa-i-Font; Sergi Jiménez-Martín; Cristina Vilaplana-Prieto
This systematic literature review provides a state-of-the-art overview of the effectiveness of workplace interventions aimed at improving workers’ mental well-being. Specifically, it examines which types of interventions are effective for which aspects of mental well-being, both in the short and long term. To this end, we identify 125 randomised controlled trials comprising 147 interventions that vary in their objectives (prevention, treatment, or reintegration), targets (workers or work), methods (cognitive, meditation-based, physical, ergonomic, organisational, or multimethod) and delivery channels (offline, online or hybrid). Mental well-being outcomes are classified as biological and self-reported indicators of the three components of subjective mental well-being (evaluative, affective, and eudaimonic well-being). Overall, we find that, for preventing and treating early mental health symptoms, cognitive or meditation-based interventions targeting personal coping resources appear most promising. In contrast, successful reintegration seems to require a combination of cognitive and organisational interventions, with the latter addressing job demands and resources. By Axana Dalle; Eline Moens; Luc Van Ootegem; Elsy Verhofstadt; Stijn Baert

Returns to Caring? Health and Wellbeing Effects of Subsidized Long-Term Care

By:	Joan Costa-i-Font; Sergi Jiménez-Martín; Cristina Vilaplana-Prieto
Abstract:	We estimate the health and wellbeing effects of subsidized access to long-term care (LTC). Our analysis exploits the staggered implementation of Spain’s 2007 System of Autonomy and Care for Dependent People (SAAD), which expanded publicly funded and universal LTC subsidies and supports, as well as its subsequent reform. Using two decades worth of administrative and survey data and leveraging exogenous regional and individual-level variation in program exposure, we find that access to SAAD benefits reduces the care receiver’s depressive symptoms by about 1 percentage point, increases its survival probability by 2.6–3 percentage points, and raises its life satisfaction by 0.24–0.50 scale points. Cost-effectiveness estimates indicate that the implied cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained lies below commonly accepted efficiency thresholds for public health spending in Europe. These findings document sizeable health returns and efficiency gains from publicly subsidized LTC provision
Keywords:	long-term care subsidies, long-term care supports, old age care, Spain, mortality, cost per QALY, survival, mental health, and life satisfaction.
JEL:	I18 J14 J16
Date:	2026
URL:	https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12943

This systematic literature review provides a state-of-the-art overview of the effectiveness of workplace interventions aimed at improving workers’ mental well-being. Specifically, it examines which types of interventions are effective for which aspects of mental well-being, both in the short and long term. To this end, we identify 125 randomised controlled trials comprising 147 interventions that vary in their objectives (prevention, treatment, or reintegration), targets (workers or work), methods (cognitive, meditation-based, physical, ergonomic, organisational, or multimethod) and delivery channels (offline, online or hybrid). Mental well-being outcomes are classified as biological and self-reported indicators of the three components of subjective mental well-being (evaluative, affective, and eudaimonic well-being). Overall, we find that, for preventing and treating early mental health symptoms, cognitive or meditation-based interventions targeting personal coping resources appear most promising. In contrast, successful reintegration seems to require a combination of cognitive and organisational interventions, with the latter addressing job demands and resources.

By:	Axana Dalle; Eline Moens; Luc Van Ootegem; Elsy Verhofstadt; Stijn Baert
Keywords:	Mental well-being; Workplace; Interventions; Randomised controlled trials
JEL:	C93 I31 J28
Date:	2026–09
URL:	https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rug:rugwps:26/1150

This nep-hap issue is ©2026 by Viviana Di Giovinazzo. It is provided as is without any express or implied warranty. It may be freely redistributed in whole or in part for any purpose. If distributed in part, please include this notice.

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