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on Health Economics |
| By: | Jan van Ours (Erasmus University Rotterdam and Tinbergen Institute) |
| Abstract: | Around 50 years ago, the Netherlands decriminalized cannabis for recreational use. This paper uses retrospective data on the ages at which individuals began and ceased cannabis use to reconstruct its prevalence in Amsterdam during the period surrounding the policy change. This approach enables a detailed analysis of the policy’s effects. The main conclusion is that the introduction of this policy did not lead to an increase in the prevalence of cannabis use. |
| JEL: | I12 I18 K42 |
| Date: | 2025–02–14 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tin:wpaper:20250009 |
| By: | Margherita Borella; Mariacristina De Nardi; Johanna P. Torres Chain; Fang Yang |
| Abstract: | This paper develops and estimates a dynamic life-cycle model to quantify why households save and work. The model incorporates multiple sources of risk—health, marital status, wages, medical expenses and mortality—as well as endogenous labor supply and human capital accumulation, retirement, and bequest motives at the death of the first and last household member. We estimate it using PSID and HRS data for the 1941–1945 cohort via the Method of Simulated Moments. Eliminating bequest motives reduces aggregate wealth by 23.8% and labor earnings by 1.2%; removing medical expenses lowers them by 13.1% and 0.7%. Wage risk is crucial for early-life saving: its removal reduces wealth by 10.4% but raises earnings by 2.3%. Eliminating marriage and divorce dynamics leads couples—numerous and wealthier—to save and work slightly less, and singles—fewer and poorer—to save and work considerably more. These effects largely offset in the aggregate. Removing all saving motives beyond retirement needs and lifespan uncertainty lowers wealth by 56.9% and earnings by 2.7%. These findings show that capturing multiple risks and behavioral margins jointly is essential to understanding household saving and labor supply. |
| Keywords: | savings; labor supply; couples; singles; precautionary savings; bequest motives; medical expenses |
| JEL: | E20 I1 J0 |
| Date: | 2025–07–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:feddwp:101316 |
| By: | Jenifer Ruiz-Valenzuela; Claudia Hupkau; Lídia Farré; Libertad González |
| Abstract: | We study the effect of paternity leave on early child development. We collect survey data on 5, 000 children under age six in Spain, and exploit several extensions of paternity leave that took place between 2017 and 2021. We follow a differences-in-discontinuities research design, based on the date of birth of each child and using cohorts born in non-reform years as controls. We show that the extensions led to significant increases in the length of leave taken by fathers, without affecting that of mothers, thus increasing parental time at home in the first year after birth. Eligibility for four additional weeks of paternity leave led to a significant 12 percentage-point increase in the fraction of children with developmental delays. We provide evidence for two potential mechanisms. First, children exposed to longer paternity leave spend less time alone with their mother, and more time with their father, during their first year of life. Second, treated children use less formal childcare. Our results suggest that paternity leave replaces higher-quality modes of early care. We conclude that the effects of parental leave policies on children depend crucially on the quality of parental versus counterfactual modes of childcare. |
| Keywords: | child development, childcare, fathers, parental leave |
| JEL: | J13 H31 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bge:wpaper:1487 |
| By: | Sandra Bohmann; Susann Fiedler; Maximilian Kasy; Jürgen Schupp; Frederik Schwerter |
| Abstract: | Mental health and wellbeing are unequally distributed in high-income countries, disadvantaging low-income individuals. Unconditional, regular, and guaranteed cash transfers may help address this inequality by promoting financial security and agency. We conducted a preregistered RCT in Germany, where treated participants received monthly payments of EUR 1, 200 for three years. Cash transfers improve mental health and wellbeing. These effects are substantively large and robust. Cash transfers also improve perceived autonomy, savings, prosocial giving, time with friends, and sleep. Our findings suggest that cash transfers improve mental health and wellbeing if they empower agency and meaningful life changes. |
| Keywords: | Basic Income, mental health, RCT, purpose in life, life satisfaction |
| JEL: | C93 I31 D10 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp2129 |
| By: | Nielsen, Søren Albeck (Aarhus University); Rosholm, Michael (Aarhus University) |
| Abstract: | This study examines the impact of caseworker beliefs on employment and health outcomes among long-term unemployed social assistance recipients in Denmark. Exploiting as-if random caseworker assignment, an instrumental variables approach, and a novel measure of "Caseworker Job Orientation", we estimate the effects of caseworkers’ job beliefs regarding their clients. Results indicate that clients assigned to caseworkers with stronger innate job beliefs experience substantial improvements in employment rates, earnings, and educational enrollment. Additionally, positive effects on health are observed, particularly among clients with pre-existing health conditions. These findings underscore the role of caseworker attitudes in shaping client trajectories, offering policy insights into enhancing labor market re-entry strategies. |
| Keywords: | health outcomes, employment outcomes, long-term unemployment, caseworker beliefs, social assistance |
| JEL: | J68 I38 J65 C26 C93 |
| Date: | 2025–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17970 |
| By: | Nie, Peng (Xi’an Jiaotong University); Zhang, Bin; Ding, Lanlin (Peking University); Sousa-Poza, Alfonso (University of Hohenheim) |
| Abstract: | Leveraging nationally representative data from the 2011-2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study (CLHLS), this study examines the impact of spousal death on long-term care (LTC) needs among Chinese older adults aged 60 and above. Our results show that spousal bereavement significantly increases the probability of LTC needs by 5.0-9.1 percentage points across severity levels (low, medium, and high). Such adverse effects are much stronger among older individuals aged 75+. Our mechanism analysis identifies three key pathways through which spousal bereavement increases LTC needs, including the loss of primary caregiving, worsened emotional stress, and increased healthcare utilization especially for inpatient costs. Our findings highlight the urgent need for targeted LTC policies that support vulnerable widowed populations, particularly older widows. |
| Keywords: | emotional stress, primary caregiving, long-term care needs, spousal bereavement, healthcare utilization |
| JEL: | J12 J14 H55 I12 |
| Date: | 2025–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17967 |
| By: | Hartley, Chris; Robinson, Catherine; Barnes, Emma; Batterham, Deb; Mason, Chris; valentine, kylie |
| Abstract: | What this research is about: This research looks at public health responses to homelessness during the COVID emergency in Australia. It identifies barriers, adaptations and lessons learned from increased teamwork between public health and homelessness sectors. It investigates how these partnerships formed and how they can continue with ongoing adequate funding, staffing and logistical support. Why this research is important: People experiencing homelessness faced high risks from COVID-19. This was due to their limited ability to practice social distancing, reduced access to infection-prevention items and difficulties self-isolating when required. Support measures showed health and homelessness services can work well together given the right operational environments. This highlights that the collaborations need to continue as homelessness remains a significant public health issue. |
| Date: | 2025–06–25 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:6xbuw_v1 |
| By: | Annibali, Claudio (University of Groningen); Bergemann, Annette (University of Groningen); Alessie, Rob (University of Groningen) |
| Abstract: | To promote early detection of diabetes and ameliorate the negative consequences of diabetes, some governments provide diabetes screenings. This paper contributes to the literature by being the first to investigate whether an issued warning affects the individual’s employment status. Additionally, our analysis also explores health effects, stratified by gender, age, and education , in order to receive indications for potential pathways of the employment effects. By doing so, we present the first results in the literature for individuals under 40. Using a multidimensional regression discontinuity design, we investigate the short- and long-run effects of a diabetes risk warning issued by Lifelines, a Dutch cohort study. In particular, low-educated individuals below 40 increase their labour market activities after a warning, which is generally more pronounced and also persistent for women. Surprisingly, this is not matched by similar strong effects on health outcomes by either gender. Health effects are very heterogeneous by gender, age and educational group. Older, highly educated women seem to benefit particularly strongly from a warning, as a significant reduction in the 4-year mortality rate indicates. |
| Keywords: | undiagnosed diabetes, employment, diabetes screening, diabetes, multidimensional regression discontinuity design |
| JEL: | I12 J16 I10 |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17999 |
| By: | Hen Ya; Giulia La Mattina; Cristina Bellés Obrero |
| 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/sexual IPV. In contrast, we show that IPV does not increase when men become eligible. 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 indicate that they spend more time at home, leading to greater exposure to potentially violent partners. |
| Keywords: | Retirement, income, Non-contributory pension |
| JEL: | H55 I38 J12 J26 |
| Date: | 2025–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bge:wpaper:1491 |
| By: | Schneider, Eric B.; Davenport, Romola |
| Abstract: | This paper uses population smallpox mortality rates in eighteenth-century Sweden and the death toll from the 1707-9 smallpox epidemic in Iceland to estimate plausible ranges for the case fatality rate (CFR) of the deadly form of smallpox, Variola major, in both its endemic (Sweden) and epidemic (Iceland) form. We find that smallpox CFRs could be extremely high (40-53%) when smallpox was epidemic and attacked a population where both children and adults were susceptible as in Iceland. However, where smallpox was endemic and therefore a disease of childhood, as in Sweden, a better estimate of the CFR is 8-10%. This is far lower than the consensus CFR of 20% to 30%. Part of the differences between the CFRs studied here could be due to differences in the inherent virulence of smallpox in the two contexts. However, we argue that social factors are more likely to explain the differences. Where both adults and children were susceptible to smallpox, smallpox epidemics fundamentally disrupted household tasks such as fetching water and food preparation and prevented parents from nursing their sick children, dramatically increasing the CFR. Thus, when historians and epidemiologists give CFRs of smallpox, they should consider the population and context rather than relying on an implausible intrinsic CFR of 20% to 30%. |
| Keywords: | smallpox; epidemics; case fertility rate; historical demography |
| JEL: | N30 J10 |
| Date: | 2025–05–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:128854 |
| By: | Quentin Cau; Coralie Gandré (Institute for Research and Information in Health Economics (IRDES), Paris, France); Pascale Lengagne (Institute for Research and Information in Health Economics (IRDES), Paris, France) |
| Abstract: | This study assesses the effects of recurrent major depression on employment and transitions to unemployment and disability benefits. Examining this issue is essential for designing timely interventions aimed to sustain individuals' employment. We rely on register data of a sample of individuals initially employed-a 2% sample of employees representative of French private-sector employees-followed up to eight years before and eight years after the year of diagnosis, aged between 20 and 60 years, over the period 2000-2015. We estimate that recurrent major depression persistently decreases the likelihood of being employed by 35 percentage points and annual earnings by 51%, and leads to increase the probability of long absence by 47 percentage points and the probability of permanent disability benefit recipiency by 33 percentage points. The effect sizes are similar between men and women. We find differences between age groups. For young and middle-aged individuals, recurrent major depression implies a decrease in employment rates, an increase in unemployment benefit rates and a persistent increase in disability benefit recipiency rates. Many young ill individuals remain attached to the labor market but experience unemployment and a large decline in annual earnings. For older individuals, recurrent major depression leads to a larger decrease in employment rates and a greater increase in disability benefit recipiency rates, compared to younger individuals. We conclude that differentiated policies tailored to age groups might be developed to support the employment of individuals with recurrent major depression. |
| Keywords: | Recurrent major depression, Employment, Earnings, Unemployment, Disability benefit recipiency, Health policy, Labor policy |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05054594 |
| By: | Abate, Gashaw T.; Bernard, Tanguy; Deutschmann, Joshua; Fall, Fatou |
| Abstract: | Individuals often make decisions considering both private returns and welfare impacts on others. Food safety decisions by smallholder agricultural producers exemplify this choice, particularly in low-income countries where farmers often consume some of the food crops they produce and sell or donate the rest. We conduct a lab-in-the-field experiment with peanuts producers in Senegal to study the decision to invest in food safety information, exogenously varying the degree of private returns (monetary or health-wise) and welfare impacts on others. Producers are willing to pay real money for food safety information even absent the potential for private returns, but willingness to pay increases with the potential for private returns. A randomized information treatment significantly increases willingness to pay in all scenarios. Our results shed light on the complex interplay between altruism and economic decisions in the presence of externalities, and point to the potential of timely and targeted information to address food safety issues. |
| Keywords: | food safety; health; groundnuts; aflatoxins; smallholders; returns; Senegal; Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Western Africa |
| Date: | 2025–07–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:gsspwp:175569 |
| By: | Eniro Asemota (University of Graz, Austria); Patrick Mellacher (University of Graz, Austria); Stefania Rossi (University of Graz, Austria) |
| Abstract: | Using municipal data from Austria (n=2115), Italy (n=7894), and Sweden (n=290), we examine how Covid-19 shaped right-wing vote shares in the 2024 European elections versus 2019. We model the 2024-2019 vote-share differences using spatial regressions controlling for socio-demographic characteristics in three contrasting cases. Austria's Freedom Party (FPO) and the Italy's Lega and Fratelli d'Italia (FdI) opposed a large number of pandemic measures as being excessive. In contrast, Sweden Democrats opposed their government's lax response, demanding stricter measures. In Austria and Italy, right-wing vote-share gains are negatively correlated with vaccination rates and positively with post-pandemic unemployment. Furthermore, high excess mortality predicts poorer Italian right-wing performance, with mixed effects in Austria. In contrast, Swedish right-wing support is negatively linked to unemployment, with no significant impact of vaccination rates or excess mortality. These results suggest that the electoral rewards for opposing government crisis policies depend on the national context and party strategy. |
| Keywords: | right-wing populism, corona skepticism, strategic party competition |
| JEL: | D72 H12 I18 |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:grz:wpaper:2025-10 |
| By: | Ketter, Laura (University of Queensland); Morris, Todd (University of Queensland); Yu, Lizi (University of Queensland) |
| Abstract: | This paper documents a robust link between COVID-19 lockdowns and the uptake and persistence of working from home (WFH) practices. Exploiting rich longitudinal data, we use a difference-in-differences strategy to compare office workers in three heavily locked-down Australian states to similar workers in less affected states. Locked-down workers sustain 43% higher WFH levels through 2023 — 0.5 days per week — with a monotonic dose–response relationship. Persistence is driven by adjustments on both sides of the labor market: employers downsize office space and open remote/hybrid positions, while employees relocate away from city centers and invest in home offices and technology. |
| Keywords: | COVID-19, persistence, WFH, work from home, lockdowns, habit formation |
| JEL: | I18 J22 M54 |
| Date: | 2025–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17975 |
| By: | Modestino, Alicia Sasser (Northeastern University); Finn, Zachary (Northeastern University); Ladge, Jamie (Boston College); Lincoln, Alisa (Northeastern University) |
| Abstract: | Conducting a nationally representative survey of 2, 500 working parents between Mother's and Father's Day of 2020, we examine gender differences in the childcare shock during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on demographic, household, and labor market factors, we document gender differences in time use, work status, mental health, job satisfaction, and employer benefits. Using variation in pre-pandemic characteristics to measure exposure to the childcare shock, we find mothers in the more vulnerable group were 15 percentage points more likely to experience a reduction in hours due to childcare than similarly situated fathers. Although paid family leave helped narrow the gap in hours between mothers and fathers in the affected group, newer COVID-19 workplace practices such as working from home and childcare subsidies had no effect. |
| Keywords: | household decision-making, gender differences, childcare, paid leave, COVID-19 |
| JEL: | D13 D91 I30 J22 J28 J71 |
| Date: | 2025–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18004 |