|
on Health Economics |
| By: | Lorenz Gschwent; Bj\"orn Hammarfelt; Martin Karlsson; Mathias Kifmann |
| Abstract: | This paper explores the evolving role of health economics within economic research and publishing over the past 30 years. Historically largely a niche field, health economics has become increasingly prominent, with the share of health economics papers in top journals growing significantly. We aim to identify the factors behind this rise, examining how health economics contributes to the broader economic knowledge base and the roles distinct subfields play. Using a combination of bibliometric methods and natural language processing, we classify abstracts to define health economics. Our findings suggest that the mainstreaming of health economics is driven by innovative, high-quality research, with notable cyclicality in quality ratings that highlights the emergence and impact of distinct subfields within the discipline. |
| Date: | 2024–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2410.06313 |
| By: | Handel, Benjamin R.; Kolstad, Jonathan T.; Minten, Thomas; Spinnewijn, Johannes |
| Abstract: | We study how choice quality relates to socio-economic factors using population-wide data on health insurance choices and utilization in the Netherlands. We document a striking choice quality gradient with respect to socio-economic status, finding that those with higher income, higher education, and training in quantitative fields make meaningfully better choices. Household income for the top 5% of decision makers, in terms of surplus captured, is almost three times higher than for those in the bottom 5%. When jointly including all factors, education degree and field of study are more important predictors of choice quality than income and other financial variables. |
| Keywords: | 716485; STICERD |
| JEL: | D31 G22 G00 I10 L15 |
| Date: | 2024–09–23 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:121132 |
| By: | Diallo, Yaya; Lange, Fabian; Renée, Laetitia |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the impact of paternity leave on the gender gap in labor market outcomes. Utilizing administrative data from Canadian tax records, we analyze the introduction of Quebec's 2006 paternity leave policy, which offers five weeks of paid leave exclusively to fathers. Using mothers and fathers of children born around the reform, we estimate how the policy impacted labor market outcomes up to 10 years following birth. The reform significantly increased fathers' uptake of parental leave and reduced their earnings immediately after the reform. However, in the medium to long-run, we find that the reform did not impact earnings, employment, or the probability of being employed in a high-wage industry for either parent. We for instance find a 95%-CI for the effect on average female earnings 3-10 years following the reform ranging from -2.2 to +1.7%. Estimates of effects on other outcomes and for males are similarly precise zeros. There is likewise no evidence that the reform changed social norms around care-taking and family responsibilities. |
| Keywords: | paternity leave, gender earnings gap |
| JEL: | J13 J16 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:clefwp:304304 |
| By: | Breitkopf, Laura; Chowdhury, Shyamal; Priyam, Shambhavi; Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah; Sutter, Matthias |
| Abstract: | We study the relationship between parenting style and a broad range of children's skills and outcomes. Based on survey and experimental data from 5, 580 children and their parents, we find that children exposed to positive parenting have higher IQs, are more altruistic, open to new experiences, conscientious, and agreeable, have a higher locus of control, self-control, and self-esteem, perform better in scholarly achievement tests, behave more prosocially in everyday life, and are more satisfied with their life. Positive parenting is negatively associated with children's neuroticism, patience, engagement in risky behaviors, and their emotional and behavioral problems. |
| Keywords: | parenting style, child outcomes, economic preferences, personality traits, IQ |
| JEL: | C91 D01 D10 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:dicedp:304410 |
| By: | Nathan Robbins (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany) |
| Abstract: | As couples transition into parenthood, they face many decisions regarding the division of paid and unpaid labor. A key factor in navigating these divisions is whether – and for how long – each partner takes paid parental leave. Previous studies have shown that more generous leave policies lead, in general, to more uptake of leave, but little data exists on the association between leave generosity at the household level. This study assesses the association between paid parental leave generosity on the leave-taking behavior of new parents across 23 European countries, using data from the 2018 European Union Labor Force Survey. I examine how the two key leave policy levers, time (the number of job-protected weeks available) and money (the wage-replacement rate paid), influence whether first-time parents take leave and for how long, and whether these results differ across income groups. Using multilevel regression analysis on a sample of n = 16, 161 couples, I assess the association between time, money, and a measure account for both together. Results indicate a positive relationship between generosity and uptake among both mothers and fathers, but with outcomes twice as large for fathers. I also find differences in results across income groups. The findings highlight the role of paid parental leave in promoting gender equality in household labor division, and the need. The study suggests that enhancing leave policies, especially for fathers, could encourage a more equitable sharing of parental leave and, consequently, the division of paid and unpaid labor. |
| Keywords: | European Union, United Kingdom, division of labor, family policies, parenthood |
| JEL: | J1 Z0 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dem:wpaper:wp-2024-031 |
| By: | Ayse Imrohoroglu; Kai Zhao |
| Abstract: | We present a dynamic general equilibrium model of homelessness calibrated to the U.S. data and evaluate the effectiveness of several policies in the fight against homelessness. The model is designed to capture the most at-risk groups, producing a diverse homeless population that includes a significant portion experiencing short-term homelessness due to labor market shocks and a smaller portion facing chronic homelessness mostly due to health shocks. Our policy experiments reveal that the existing housing voucher program effectively reduces homelessness especially when the general equilibrium effects are accounted for. We show that increasing the reach of the program for eligible individuals can lead to further declines in the aggregate homeless rate relative to alternative forms of subsidies. However, policies targeted to help decrease homelessness are not as popular as general poverty reduction tools such as cash subsidies, which generate a larger welfare gain in our experiments. |
| Keywords: | Income Shock; General equilibrium; Health shock; Homeless; Housing |
| JEL: | H20 E20 |
| Date: | 2024–10–22 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fedmoi:99008 |
| By: | Panle Jia Barwick; Siyu Chen; Chao Fu; Teng Li |
| Abstract: | Concerns over the excessive use of mobile phones, especially among youths and young adults, are growing. Leveraging administrative student data from a Chinese university merged with mobile phone records, random roommate assignments, and a policy shock that affects peers’ peers, we present, to our knowledge, the first estimates of both behavioral spillover and contextual peer effects, and the first estimates of medium-term impacts of mobile app usage on academic achievement, physical health, and labor market outcomes. App usage is contagious: a one s.d. increase in roommates’ in-college app usage raises own app usage by 4.4% on average, with substantial heterogeneity across students. App usage is detrimental to both academic performance and labor market outcomes. A one s.d. increase in own app usage reduces GPAs by 36.2% of a within-cohort-major s.d. and lowers wages by 2.3%. Roommates’ app usage exerts both direct effects (e.g., noise and disruptions) and indirect effects (via behavioral spillovers) on GPA and wage, resulting in a total negative impact of over half the size of the own usage effect. Extending China’s minors’ game restriction policy of 3 hours per week to college students would boost their initial wages by 0.7%. Using high-frequency GPS data, we identify one underlying mechanism: high app usage crowds out time in study halls and increases absences from and late arrivals at lectures. |
| JEL: | D12 D90 E24 I23 L82 L86 Z13 |
| Date: | 2024–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:33054 |
| By: | Ahammer, Alexander (University of Linz); Pruckner, Gerald J. (University of Linz); Stiftinger, Flora (Johannes Kepler University Linz) |
| Abstract: | We estimate the long-run labor market and health effects of breast cancer among Austrian women. Compared to a random sample of same-aged non-affected women, those diagnosed with breast cancer face a 22.8 percent increase in health expenses, 6.2 percent lower employment, and a wage penalty of 15 percent five years after diagnosis. Although affected women sort into higher quality jobs post-diagnosis, this is offset by a reduction in working hours. We argue that the hours reduction is more likely driven by an increase in the time preference rate, meaning that patients increasingly value the present over the future, rather than by an incapacitation effect or employer discrimination. |
| Keywords: | breast cancer, labor supply, health shocks, time discounting |
| JEL: | I10 J22 I12 |
| Date: | 2024–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17316 |
| By: | Kevin S. Milligan |
| Abstract: | I develop and implement a methodology for cohort life expectancy using a panel of administrative tax data on a large sample born between 1930 and 1964. Over these 35 years, cohort life expectancy after age 54 grew by 5 years for women and 7 years for men. The income-longevity gradient for the top vs. bottom five percent of incomes is 9 years of post-54 life for men and 7 years for women. The life expectancy improvements arise across the income distribution in Canada, unlike the United States. Large differences across neighbourhoods emerge which cannot be explained by income differences alone. |
| JEL: | I14 J14 |
| Date: | 2024–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:33066 |
| By: | Marina Di Giacomo; Massimiliano Piacenza; Luca Salmasi (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore); Gilberto Turati (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) |
| Abstract: | This paper provides a causal estimate of labor productivity in maternity units. We consider an Italian law that defines the staffing requirements of maternity wards according to the annual number of births. We exploit these discontinuities in the availability of medical staff induced by the law to define both instrumental variables and an RDD framework that allows us to estimate the causal effect of different teams of professionals during delivery on the health status of newborns and mothers. The analysis is based on detailed patient-level data on deliveries in an Italian region. We find that maternity units with annual births above the thresholds are more likely to have a “full team” of professionals during delivery. In turn, the presence of a full team significantly affects outcomes. We find an improvement in both neonatal and maternal outcomes, coupled with more intense use of medical procedures, suggesting that larger hospitals are better able to manage deliveries with appropriate treatments to avoid complications than smaller units. In addition, we do not find substantial heterogeneous effects across days of the week, time of day, and nationality of mothers. |
| Keywords: | medical staff; maternity wards; productivity; instrumental variables. |
| JEL: | D24 H75 I10 I12 I18 J24 J45 J82 |
| Date: | 2024–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ctc:serie1:def134 |
| By: | Jihye Lee; Žiga Žarnic |
| Abstract: | Digital technologies are reshaping our lives, with significant impacts on personal and societal well-being. As these technologies are increasingly integrated into everyday life, it is crucial to raise awareness on their positive and negative impacts which are reviewed in this paper. While innovations like AI in healthcare and assistive devices empower individuals and improve access, they also introduce risks such as mental health challenges, misinformation, and privacy breaches. Raising awareness around digital risks helps individuals make smarter, safer decisions. At the same time, empowerment is about more than just awareness; it involves giving users control over their digital experiences, equipping them with the skills to harness technology for education, employment, and personal growth. Ultimately, responsible digital use is essential for safeguarding data privacy, supporting democratic values and respecting ethical standards. While digital technologies have the power to level the playing field, they can deepen existing inequalities if access and skills are unevenly distributed. Bridging digital divides through tailored inclusive solutions is equally important. Understanding the relationship between technology use and well-being is therefore key, but further research is needed to fully grasp these dynamics. |
| Keywords: | civic engagement, digital divide, digitalisation, health, personal safety, social connections, subjective well-being, well-being, work-life balance |
| JEL: | I1 I3 |
| Date: | 2024–11–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:wiseaa:29-en |
| By: | Cristina Belles-Obrero; Giulia La Mattina; Han Ye |
| Abstract: | The prevalence and determinants of intimate partner violence (IPV) among older women are understudied. This paper documents that the incidence of IPV remains high at old ages and provides the first evidence of the impact of access to income on IPV for older women. We leverage a Mexican reform that lowered the eligibility age for a non-contributory pension and a difference-in-differences approach. Women’s eligibility for the pension increases their probability of being subjected to economic, psychological, and physical IPV. The estimated effects are found only among women in the short term and are more pronounced for women who experienced family violence in childhood and those from poorer households. Looking at potential mechanisms, we find suggestive evidence that men use violence as a tool to control women’s resources. Additionally, women reduce paid employment after becoming eligible for the pension, which may result in more time spent at home and greater exposure to violent partners. In contrast, we show that IPV does not increase when men become eligible for the non-contributory pension. |
| Keywords: | Non-contributory pension, Intimate partner violence, Retirement, Income |
| JEL: | H55 I38 J12 J26 |
| Date: | 2024–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bon:boncrc:crctr224_2024_602 |
| By: | Ignacio González Vázquez (European Commission – JRC); Maurizio Curtarelli (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)); Ioannis Anyfantis (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)); Emmanuelle Brun (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)); Annick Starren (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the psychosocial risks associated with the digital transformation of work, focusing on the automation of tasks, digitalisation of work processes, and the platformisation of work. It highlights that while automation and digitalisation can offer ergonomic and occupational safety and health benefits, they may also diminish worker autonomy and increase mental health risks. The adoption of digital technologies can improve communication and engagement but may lead to intensified workloads and can incentivise an 'always-on' culture. Platform work, with its precarious employment conditions, can also exacerbate occupational safety and health risks. The paper also argues that the spread of platform-like worker monitoring and algorithmic management to traditional workplaces can exacerbate certain psychosocial risks. The paper confirms that addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach that includes worker consultation, integration of OSH considerations from the design phase, and a holistic risk assessment that considers both technological and organisational contexts. |
| Date: | 2024–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipt:laedte:202403 |
| By: | Di Giacomo Marina (Department of Economics, Social Studies, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, University of Turin, Torino, Italy); Perucca Giacomo (Politecnico di Milano, Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (DABC), Milan, Italy); Piacenza Massimiliano (University of Piemonte Orientale, Department of Law and Political, Economic and Social Sciences (DIGSPES), Alessandria, Italy); Turati Gilberto (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Department of Economics and Finance (DEF), Rome, Italy.) |
| Abstract: | We focus on caesarean sections (C-sections) to examine access to appropriate medical care for immigrants in the Italian tax-funded universal National Health Service. We use a detailed micro-dataset to analyse whether non-native women receive different treatments compared to natives and whether there are differences between groups of non-natives defined by citizenship. For identification, we control for hospital fixed effects and maternal characteristics, and we compare the different groups by exploiting the clustering of non-natives of different nationalities in different urban areas. We find no significant differences between natives and non-natives in terms of C-sections and inappropriate C-sections. However, we do find significant differences between different groups of immigrants. In addition, we find that linguistic and socio-cultural distances are significant drivers of inequalities among non-native women. As language, habits, traditions, and beliefs can affect communication between the woman and the medical staff in many ways, we interpret our findings in terms of the ability to process and understand information between the two parties. In support of this interpretation, we find evidence of a "segregation effect": women linguistically and socio-culturally more distant from Italy experience the greatest difficulties in accessing appropriate care when living in urban areas characterized by the presence of large immigrant communities of the same nationality. Moreover, we find that the role of linguistic and socio-cultural barriers is stronger for first-time mothers and women with non-native partners. |
| Keywords: | Health inequalities, Immigration, Language Differences, Socio-cultural dDifferences. |
| JEL: | H75 I12 I14 I18 O15 R23 |
| Date: | 2024–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tur:wpapnw:095 |
| By: | Stenberg, Anders (Swedish Institute for Social Research); Tudor, Simona (Swedish Public Employment Service) |
| Abstract: | We analyze whether field of study assigned at age 16 impacts mental health in adulthood. Using a regression discontinuity design that exploits GPA cutoffs, we find that admission to the preferred study field improves mental health, lowering both the incidence of antidepressant prescriptions and of mental health-related hospitalizations. Engineering contributes strongly but not uniquely to the positive results. As for mechanisms, earnings explain 40% of the estimates, but earlier proposed hypotheses based on school-age peer characteristics have little explanatory power. Our findings imply that restrictions on individuals’ choices, to improve human capital allocations, entail costs that may have been underestimated. |
| Keywords: | field of study; health; secondary education |
| JEL: | I10 I21 I24 J24 J28 J32 |
| Date: | 2023–12–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:sofile:2024_001 |
| By: | Carla Rowold (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany); Joan E. Madia |
| Abstract: | This study focuses on the long-term effects of the Baby Boomers' (born between 1960 and 1979) historical smoking prevalence in Germany. It emphasizes the linkage to an anticipated increase in smoking-attributable diseases and corresponding healthcare costs by 2035. Our analysis leverages data from the German Federal Statistical Office, the Mikrozensus, and the Federal Health Report, along with treatment costs, to document the persistently high smoking rates among this cohort. In addition, it also projects the ensuing economic burden on healthcare from conditions such as COPD and lung cancer. Highlighting the necessity for targeted public health interventions aimed at smoking cessation and lifestyle modifications, this study draws on UK strategies, including support for quitting. We suggest Germany could adopt similar measures to address these challenges effectively. These insights aim to guide policymakers in developing targeted interventions to reduce the future healthcare burden. We estimate smoking attributable healthcare costs to rise by 56% until 2035 totaling €193 billion over the period. Although our projections are conservative compared to other literature, incorporating data from Effertz (2019) suggests that annual costs could skyrocket to as much as €46 billion. Adequate strategies could reduce these costs. |
| Keywords: | Germany, demographic ageing, diseases, health, life styles, public health, smoking |
| JEL: | J1 Z0 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dem:wpaper:wp-2024-036 |
| By: | Aurelio Tobías (IDAEA - Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research - CSIC - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas [España] = Spanish National Research Council [Spain], School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health [Nagasaki, Japan] - Nagasaki University); Carmen Íñiguez (CIBERESP - Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública = Consortium for Biomedical Research of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Valencia, Valencia); Magali Hurtado Díaz; Horacio Riojas; Luis Abdon Cifuentes; Dominic Royé; Rosana Abrutzky; Micheline de Sousa Zanotti Stagliorio Coelho; Paulo Hilario Nascimento Saldiva (USP - Universidade de São Paulo = University of São Paulo); Nicolás Valdés Ortega; Patricia Matus Correa; Samuel Osorio; Gabriel Carrasco; Valentina Colistro; Mathilde Pascal; Olivier Chanel (AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, AMU - Aix Marseille Université); Lina Madaniyazi; Antonio Gasparrini |
| Abstract: | What this study adds: This study provides evidence of the health burden and economic losses attributable to heat and cold in Central and South American countries, covering various climates and populations. Most of the mortality burden for Central and South American countries is caused by cold compared to heat. The results showed geographical and climatic variations, indicating a significantly higher impact of nonoptimal temperatures in countries of the Southern Cone and locations with temperate climates. These findings offer direct evidence to guide policymakers in developing public health policies for mitigation and adaptation to the region's health effects and economic impacts of nonoptimal temperatures. |
| Keywords: | Nonoptimal temperatures, Mortality burden, Economic loss, Time series, Distributed lag nonlinear models, Multicountry, Central and South America |
| Date: | 2024–10–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04734482 |
| By: | Pascaline Dupas (Princeton University); Seema Jayachandran (Princeton University); Adriana Lleras-Muney (UCLA); Pauline Rossi (Ecole Polytechnique) |
| Abstract: | We conducted a randomized trial among 14, 545 households in rural Burkina Faso to test the oft-cited hypothesis that limited access to contraception is an important driver of high fertility rates in West Africa. We do not find support for this hypothesis. Women who were given free access to medical contraception for three years did not have lower birth rates; we can reject even modest effects. We cross-randomized additional interventions to address possible inefficiencies leading to low demand for free contraception, specifically misperceptions about the child mortality rate, limited exposure to opposing views about family size and contraception, and social pressure. Free contraception did not influence fertility even in combination with these other interventions. |
| Keywords: | Burkina Faso, Family planning; Demographic transition; Social norms; Randomized trial |
| JEL: | J13 J18 O12 |
| Date: | 2024–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pri:cepsud:327 |
| By: | Hamid Noghanibehambari; Jason Fletcher |
| Abstract: | Previous studies document the potential links between early-life insults and life-cycle outcomes. However, fewer studies examine the effects of local labor market shocks during early-life on old-age male mortality. This article empirically investigates this link using a large-scale deindustrialization as a source of shocks to local labor markets: the decline in the New England’s textile industry during the 1920s and 1930s. Consistent with prior studies, we find small impacts on migration and changes in sociodemographic composition of counties post-deindustrialization. Using Social Security Administration death records linked with historical censuses 1900-1940 and difference-in-difference event studies, we find reductions in longevity for those born in highly-exposed counties whose families are categorized as non-migrants and those residing in non-urban areas. The results suggest intent-to-treat effects of about 3.3 months while the treatment-on-treated calculations suggest reductions of about 4 years in longevity of children of affected families. Using 1950-1960 census data, we find that those born in highly-exposed counties post-deindustrialization reveal large reductions in schooling, decreases in high school completion, and significant decreases in measures of socioeconomic standing. We further discuss the policy implication of these findings. |
| JEL: | I1 I15 J1 N30 |
| Date: | 2024–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:33039 |
| By: | Chen, Frederick (Wake Forest University, Economics Department); He, Haosen (University of California, Berkeley); Yu, Chu A.(Alex) (Wake Forest University, Economics Department) |
| Abstract: | We formulate and numerically solve a game-theoretic model of rational agents' self-protective actions in an epidemic game with information delay. We then compare our model simulation results with data collected from real human players in an online experiment conducted by Chen et al (2013). We find that, compared with game-theoretic agents, human players receive poorer endgame outcomes due to a lack of synchronization in their self-protective actions. In addition, human players' decisions are dependent on their infection history, and they are less responsive to changes in disease prevalence compared to game-theoretic agents. Our results suggest that human players in the epidemic game differ substantially from fully rational, forward-looking, strategic agents in terms of both player outcomes and decision-making mechanisms. |
| Keywords: | Game theory; Dynamic game; Economic epidemiology; Mathematical epidemiology; Epidemics; Information delay; Coninuous-state dynamic programming; Numerical simulation |
| JEL: | C63 C73 I12 |
| Date: | 2024–10–22 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:wfuewp:0119 |