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on Health Economics |
| By: | Derek A. Christopher; Mark Duggan; Olivia H. Martin |
| Abstract: | What does homeless shelter achieve? We leverage administrative records of homeless services in Los Angeles County to construct a novel dataset of daily, site-level counts of shelter beds and occupants from 2014 to 2019. We pair this with daily, block-level crime incident data and daily, hospital-level data on ER visits to assess the relationship between shelter and area crime and health. We exploit variation from shocks to shelter availability from Los Angeles County's winter shelters program to study the effects of providing temporary shelter. We find that reducing unsheltered homelessness significantly reduces crime and ER visits for psychiatric conditions. We conclude with evidence that entering shelter also reduces short-run mortality but find no evidence that temporary shelter reduces future homelessness more than street outreach or other non-shelter services. Our findings suggest that shelter functions as a public good with high social benefits. When agents charged with provision of homeless services are evaluated on their ability to reduce overall homelessness, they are unlikely to internalize these benefits and may under provide shelter. |
| JEL: | H41 H51 H53 H75 I38 K42 R28 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34376 |
| By: | Coleman Drake; Mark K. Meiselbach; Daniel Polsky |
| Abstract: | Enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act reached an all-time high of approximately 25 million Americans in 2025, roughly doubling since enhanced premium tax credit subsidies were made available in 2021. The scheduled expiration of enhanced subsidies in 2026 is estimated to leave over seven million Americans without health insurance coverage. Ten states have created supplemental Marketplace subsidies, yet little attention has been paid to how to best structure these subsidies to maximize coverage. Using administrative enrollment data from Maryland's Marketplace, we estimate demand for Marketplace coverage. Then, using estimated parameters and varying budget constraints, we simulate how to optimally allocate supplemental state premium subsidies to mitigate coverage losses from enhanced premium subsidy expiration. We find that premium sensitivity is greatest among enrollees with incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, where the marginal effect of an additional ten dollars in monthly subsidies on the probability of coverage is approximately 6.5 percentage points, and decreases to roughly 2.5 percentage points above 200 percent FPL. Simulation results indicate that each 10 million dollars in annual state subsidies could retain roughly 5, 000 enrollees, though the cost-effectiveness of these subsidies falls considerably once all enrollees below 200 percent of the federal poverty level are fully subsidized. We conclude that states are well positioned to mitigate, but not stop, coverage losses from expanded premium tax credit subsidy expiration. |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2510.13791 |
| By: | Carole Roan Gresenz; Jean M Mitchell; R. Scott Turner; Wilbert Van der Klaauw; Crystal Wang |
| Abstract: | We study the spillover effects of cognitive decline in one member of a coupled household on the financial outcomes of their partner and assess how “own” and spillover effects are moderated by the structure of household financial decision-making. We use a large, nationally representative longitudinal data set spanning 2000-2017 that includes credit report data merged at the individual level with Medicare claims and enrollment data. We find the own adverse financial consequences of cognitive decline depend on household financial integration and other characteristics associated with household financial management, and find significant, albeit smaller (vs own), adverse financial spillover effects on partners. |
| Keywords: | Debt repayment; cognitive decline; household financial management; spillover effects |
| JEL: | G51 G41 D91 |
| Date: | 2025–10–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fednsr:101955 |
| By: | Lillebø, Otto Sevaldson (Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research, and Education); Markussen, Simen (Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research); Røed, Knut (Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research) |
| Abstract: | We provide a full reexamination of the effects of a maternity leave extension implemented in Norway in 1977. Previous research reporting large favorable long-term effects on mothers' health and on offspring's educational and labor market outcomes relied on an incorrect description of the reform and an invalid identification strategy. In the present paper, we show that the previously reported results are misleading. Building on an accurate description of the reform and its implementation, we document that it had no noticeable long-term effects on mothers' health or on offspring's education and labor market outcomes. |
| Keywords: | maternity leave, family policies, replication |
| JEL: | C52 J13 J18 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18193 |
| By: | Anderberg, Dan (Royal Holloway, University of London); Andersen, Line Hjorth (Rockwool Foundation Research Unit); Daysal, N. Meltem (University of Copenhagen); Ejrnæs, Mette (University of Copenhagen) |
| Abstract: | We examine the impact of a 2002 Danish parental leave reform on intimate partner violence (IPV) using administrative data on assault-related hospital contacts. Using a regression discontinuity design, we show that extending fully paid leave increased mothers’ leave-taking and substantially reduced IPV, with effects concentrated among less-educated women. The reform also lengthened birth spacing, while separations remained unchanged and earnings effects were modest. The timing and heterogeneity of impacts point to fertility adjustments—rather than exit options or financial relief—as the key mechanism. Parental leave policy thus emerges as an underexplored lever for reducing IPV. |
| Keywords: | parental leave, intimate partner violence |
| JEL: | J12 I38 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18194 |
| By: | Takuya Hasebe (Sophia Institute for Human Security and Faculty of Liberal Arts, Sophia University, JAPAN); Yuma Noritomo (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University, U.S.A. and Junior Research Fellow, Research Institute for Economics and Business Administration, Kobe University, JAPAN); Bilesha Weeraratne (Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, SRI LANKA) |
| Abstract: | International migration offers significant economic opportunities for developing countries, but it can also separate parents from their children, potentially harming child development. This paper examines the effects of restricting mothers' international migration on left-behind children, leveraging a Sri Lankan unique policy that restricted mothers with children under age five from migrating abroad for employment. Using a difference-in-differences approach, the results reveal the following: First, the policy reduces international migration, increasing mothers' presence at home. Second, policy exposure leads to better healthcare outcomes, including a significant reduction in inpatient stays, particularly treatment for illnesses. This improvement appears to result from increased childcare and monitoring by mothers. Although the policy decreases remittances from abroad, this reduction is offset by an increase in domestic remittances. Furthermore, we find evidence of positive spillovers on non-targeted children with younger, policy-targeted siblings, as indicated by reduced grade retention. These findings highlight the trade-offs between a mother's presence and the economic opportunities associated with international migration in shaping human capital development. |
| Keywords: | Human capital; Health; Education; Remittance; Sri Lanka |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:kob:dpaper:dp2025-25 |
| By: | Alan de Bromhead (University College Dublin); Ronan C. Lyons (Trinity College Dublin); Johann Ohler (London School of Economics and Political Science) |
| Abstract: | Poor housing conditions, and the negative effects of Household Air Pollution (HAP) in particular, remain one of the most pressing global public health challenges. While the association between poor housing and health has a long history, evidence of a direct link is lacking. In this paper, we examine a rare example of a public housing intervention in rural areas, namely the large-scale provision of high-quality housing in Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We exploit a novel dataset of deaths-by-disease and deaths-by-age-and-sex over the period 1871–1919, to test the impact of the intervention on mortality. Our difference-in-difference estimates indicate that improved housing conditions reduced mortality by as much as 1 death per 1000. This effect is driven by reductions in deaths from respiratory diseases. We propose a likely mechanism that is consistent with the pattern of results we observe: a reduction in Household Air Pollution through improved housing quality and better ventilation. A cost-benefit analysis reveals that the scheme was a highly cost-effective intervention. |
| Keywords: | Ireland, Labourers Acts, household air pollution, health transition, social housing, infectious disease |
| JEL: | N33 N93 Q53 O18 I14 J10 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hes:wpaper:0286 |
| By: | Carla Guerriero (Università di Napoli Federico II and CSEF); Rosella Levaggi (Università di Brescia); Paolo Li Donni (University of Palermo); Sara Moccia (University of Naples Federico II.) |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the effect of broadband internet diffusion on patient mobility in Italy’s decentralized healthcare systems. Using comprehensive provincial-level data from2013 to 2019 on broadband coverage and hospital-based oncological procedures, we consider how improved internet access affects patients’ decisions to seek treatment outside their region or province of residence. We find that increased broadband availability significantly reduces patient mobility for cancer care, particularly for complex conditions with lower survival rates such pancreatic and lung cancer. The effect is more pronounced among younger patients and those residing in the South of Italy, where perceptions of local care quality are poorer. By contrast, the impact is weaker among older patients and individuals traveling from Central Italy. Our findings suggest that enhanced digital connectivity lowers information frictions, enabling patients to better evaluate local healthcare options and thereby avoiding some unnecessary cross-regional mobility. This paper contributes to two strands of the literature: on the role of information in healthcare markets and on the broader effects of internet infrastructure on health-related decision-making. Our results underscore the role of policies for digital inclusion in mitigating regional healthcare disparities and improving patient decision-making. |
| Date: | 2025–10–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sef:csefwp:762 |
| By: | Ginger Zhe Jin; Hsienming Lien; Xuezhen Tao |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates how hospital competition and insurance reimbursement policy shape the diffusion of medical innovations. Using patient-level data from Taiwan's drug-eluting stent (DES) market in the Taipei metropolitan area, we estimate a structural model of hospital behavior, incorporating patient demand and hospitals' endogenous portfolio and pricing decisions. Our analysis reveals a fundamental trade-off: intense competition lowers prices but weakens hospitals' incentives to adopt new technologies, with total welfare peaking at an intermediate level of concentration. We then evaluate policy solutions. Selective contracting—where the government insurer negotiates exclusive wholesale discounts—can achieve a ``quadruple-win'' for consumers, hospitals, participating manufacturers, and the payer. In contrast, increasing the insurer's DES-specific reimbursement encourages hospitals to expand DES technology adoption and lower patient payment per DES, but creates a substantial fiscal burden for the insurer. Alternatively, a patient coupon program targeting low-income patients improves equity but has limited market-wide impact, as hospitals barely modify their price or portfolio decisions in response. These findings highlight that effective technology diffusion policies must account for downstream hospitals' strategic responses and their market competition. |
| JEL: | D4 I18 L13 O33 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34374 |
| By: | Capretti, Lisa (University of Rome Tor Vergata); Kopinska, Joanna (Sapienza University of Rome); Mariani, Rama Dasi (Roma Tre University); Rosati, Furio C. (University of Rome Tor Vergata) |
| Abstract: | We examine the impact of migrant-provided home-based care on elderly health in Italy, focusing on hospitalisation frequency, length of stay, and mortality. To address potential endogeneity between local health conditions and immigrant settlement , we use an instrumental variable approach. Our results show that an higer supply of migrant caregivers reduces both the frequency (extensive margin) and duration (intensive margin) of hospital admissions. One percentage point increase in the immigrant-to-elderly population ratio leads to a 4% decline in long-term and rehabilitation inpatient admissions, with no effect on acute inpatient. We also find a 1.5% reduction in average admission duration, rising to 3.3% for LRI cases. These effects are primarily driven by diagnoses related to traumatic injuries, musculoskeletal and genitourinary conditions—areas closely linked to home-based mobility and care management. Back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that the observed 1.3 percentage point average annual increase in the migrant-to-elderly ratio during our study period corresponds to an estimated 9% reduction in elderly LRI hospitalisation costs, yielding annual public savings of approximately 0.66% of total hospitalisation expenditures. |
| Keywords: | long-term care, immigration, home-based care, ederly |
| JEL: | F22 H51 I11 I18 J14 J61 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18188 |
| By: | Sung Jae Jun; Sokbae Lee |
| Abstract: | We develop a framework for identifying and estimating persuasion effects in regression discontinuity (RD) designs. The RD persuasion rate measures the probability that individuals at the threshold would take the action if exposed to a persuasive message, given that they would not take the action without exposure. We present identification results for both sharp and fuzzy RD designs, derive sharp bounds under various data scenarios, and extend the analysis to local compliers. Estimation and inference rely on local polynomial regression, enabling straightforward implementation with standard RD tools. Applications to public health and media illustrate its empirical relevance. |
| Date: | 2025–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2509.26517 |
| By: | Schoonjans, Eline |
| Abstract: | U.S. manufacturing facilities generate approximately 30 billion pounds of hazardous waste annually, 10% of which is released into the environment. The negative economic and health impacts of such toxic chemicals are significant (Currie et al., 2015; Aguilar-Gomez et al., 2022). It is therefore crucial to understand the factors which influence the production, release, and treatment of toxic waste and its resulting pollution. Unions are designed to advocate for workers' health and safety, but their impact on toxic waste management remains unclear. This study investigates how union elections affect the balance between workplace safety and environmental sustainability. Union election wins lead to a significant increase in air pollution and the release of toxic waste and to a significant decrease in waste treatment (e.g. recycling and energy recovery) at facility sites. Even though unionised facilities engage more often in innovative pollution prevention activities, these efforts are insufficient to offset the increased release of toxic waste. Unionised facilities prioritise worker safety by limiting the handling of hazardous waste, but this occurs at the expense of environmental sustainability. |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewpbs:329908 |
| By: | Valentin Bolotnyy; Natalia Emanuel; Pim Welle |
| Abstract: | Every state in the country has a law permitting involuntary hospitalization if a person presents a danger to themselves or others as a result of mental illness. If a person reaches this high bar, the logic goes, they should be confined in a psychiatric hospital for treatment until they are stabilized. (The process is also sometimes called involuntary commitment, involuntary psychiatric hold, or sectioning.) Although there is no definitive national accounting, it is estimated that about 1.2 million involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations occur every year (Lee and Cohen 2021). This puts the magnitude on par with the 1.2 million individuals imprisoned in state, federal, and military prisons every year (Carson 2022). In a new Staff Report, we use data from Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, to measure how psychiatric commitments are impacting an individual’s risk of danger to themselves or others, earnings, and housing. |
| Keywords: | involuntary hospitalization; mental health; psychiatric treatment |
| JEL: | I10 |
| Date: | 2025–10–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fednls:101943 |
| By: | Tojal Ramos Dos Santos, Carolina |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the impact of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) on womens prescription contraceptive choices using television advertisement data and health insurance claims. I leverage quasi-random variation in exposure to local television advertising to identify the causal effect on womens decisions. The findings indicate that a 10% increase in DTCA for short-term contraceptive methods, such as pills, increases demand for the advertised product by 2.7% and generates positive spillovers to branded and generic products in the same category. At the same time, DTCA for short-term methods reduces demand for long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants. After the Affordable Care Act reduced out-of-pocket costs for prescription contraceptives for insured women, advertising shifted from short-term to long-term methods. The television advertising for permanent methods increased demand for LARCs and decreased demand for short-term products. These results provide new causal evidence on how television advertising influences consumer decisions in a market where patients have wide discretion and products vary by type, cost, and effectiveness. |
| Keywords: | Advertising;Contraceptives;HEALTH BEHAVIOR;Insurance |
| JEL: | I12 M37 D12 J13 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:idb:brikps:14307 |
| By: | Dennis Guignet; Kyle Vetter; Linda Bui; Heather Klemick; Ron Shadbegian |
| Abstract: | Focusing on hazardous chemical cleanups under the US Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), we employ a reverse difference-in-differences design to estimate the effects of cleanup on birth outcomes. Data on the population of births in North Carolina from 1990-2019 are linked to cleanups at contaminated sites across the state. We find robust evidence that for children born to mothers residing within 250 meters, cleanup leads to an almost one week increase in gestational age, and a 6 to 8 percentage point reduction in the risk of preterm birth. Cleanup may also lead to improvements in birthweight, but these results are not statistically significant across all models. Assessments of the post-treatment trends and demographic sorting support a causal interpretation of the results. We illustrate how these quantified improvements in newborn health can be monetized to inform local land use and cleanup decisions, as well as future regulations under RCRA. Key Words: birth, childrenÕs health, cleanup, exposure, hazardous, health, RCRA |
| JEL: | D62 I18 Q53 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:apl:wpaper:25-10 |
| By: | Luca Facchinello |
| Abstract: | From the mid-80s roughly 140, 000 people in Veneto, Italy, were exposed to PFAS-contaminated water through the public supply. Exposure stopped in 2013, when the contamination accident was discovered. A battery of tests shows that municipalities across the border of the Red zone, the catchment area of the contaminated water supplier, were virtually identical in several dimensions before 2013. Age-standardized mortality in polluted municipalities, however, exceeded control group mortality by 4 percent from 1982 to 2012. While differences were insignificant until the 90s, Red zone mortality was more than 5 percent higher from the 2000s and did not decrease after pollution discovery, suggesting, in line with PFAS bioaccumulative properties, a role for long-run exposure. Further analysis shows that mortality in municipalities exclusively contaminated via public water supply was similar to control group mortality until 2009, but converged afterwards to the higher levels observed early on in more severely contaminated municipalities, where private wells were also polluted. I conclude that long-run exposure to the relatively low levels of PFAS measured in public water resulted in relevant increases in mortality, suggesting that current EU safe exposure limits may not be sufficiently protective. |
| Keywords: | PFAS, Pollution, Water, Mortality, Regulation |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cca:wpaper:750 |
| By: | Joan Costa-Font (London School of Economics and Political Science); Cinzia Di Novi (University of Pavia); Cristina Elisa Orso (University of Insubria) |
| Abstract: | We study the later-life spillover effects of adult unmet care needs on mental health and health care utilization of older-age Europeans. We draw on longitudinal data from a longitudinal sample of Europeans before, during, and after COVID-19. We exploit an instrumental variable design alongside a causal mediation analysis to examine the effect of unmet care needs on mental health. We show that unmet care needs after the COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to an increased cognitive decline and depressive symptoms and that this effect is mediated by exposure to loneliness during the pandemic among those with unmet care needs. |
| Keywords: | loneliness, mental health, caregiving arrangements, informal care, adult care |
| JEL: | J14 J22 I13 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pav:demwpp:demwp0231 |
| By: | Sharareh Massahi |
| Abstract: | Graduated driver licensing systems effectively reduce adolescent traffic fatalities but create unintended health consequences. Using state-level variation in licensing policies from 1999-2020 and difference-in-differences analysis, we provide the first causal evidence that early driving access generates significant health risks for female adolescents aged 15-19. States allowing learner's permits before age 16 experienced sharp increases in drug-related mortality (+1.331 per 100, 000, p |
| Date: | 2025–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2509.23578 |
| By: | Hiziroglu Aygun, Aysun; Karaca-Mandic, Pinar |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the impact of a significant minimum wage increase in Türkiye on infant birth weight and neonatal health. We utilize data from the Türkiye Demographic and Health Survey to investigate the birth outcomes of babies exposed to a 30% minimum wage hike during pregnancy. Leveraging variation in the predicted probability that a household includes a minimum-wage earner, we estimate a difference-in-differences model to identify the causal effect of prenatal exposure to the minimum wage increase. Our analysis reveals that exposure to a higher minimum wage during pregnancy significantly increases birth weight and reduces the likelihood of low birth weight ( |
| Keywords: | minimum wage, birth weight, prenatal health care, universal health coverage, Türkiye |
| JEL: | I12 J13 I38 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:esprep:329823 |
| By: | Matus-López, Mauricio; Gallego-Morón, Nazareth |
| Abstract: | Gender inequalities affect all aspects of society, including political, economic, and social domains—and health systems are no exception. This paper proposes a concise theoretical framework to analyze the multiple gendered dimensions within health systems, based on the World Health Organization’s classification of core health system functions. By examining financing, governance, resource generation, and service provision, the framework highlights how gender disparities are embedded in institutional structures and practices. Specific evidence from recent studies is included to illustrate these dynamics. Ultimately, the proposed framework aims to serve for the research project on the historical development of public health systems. |
| Keywords: | Gender; Health Care Systems; Disparities; Inequalities; Theoretical Framework |
| JEL: | I00 I14 I18 N00 |
| Date: | 2025–10–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:126482 |
| By: | Whitlock, Cassandra; Sterling, Genevieve; Kael'thas, Sunstrider; Géraud, DeVries |
| Abstract: | Labor market inequalities—including differences in income, gender, and employment type—play a critical role in shaping life expectancy disparities. This literature review synthesizes findings from 20 studies examining how formal versus informal employment, wage gaps, and occupational segregation influence longevity. Evidence indicates that secure, formal work and robust labor protections enhance life expectancy, while informal and precarious labor exacerbate disparities. The review highlights the mediating effects of socioeconomic status and gender, and identifies gaps for future research on integrated labor and health policies. |
| Keywords: | Labor market inequalities, Life expectancy disparities, Employment type |
| JEL: | J70 |
| Date: | 2024–12–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:126182 |
| By: | Lê Hồng, Nhung; Yīng, Wéi; Leander, Fintan; Desmond, Flint |
| Abstract: | Life expectancy is influenced by multiple social, economic, and demographic factors, with labor market participation emerging as a critical determinant. This literature review synthesizes evidence from 20 studies examining how employment status, labor quality, formal versus informal work, and socioeconomic factors shape population longevity. Findings indicate that formal, stable employment is associated with longer life expectancy, whereas informal or precarious work limits these benefits. Gender, income, and demographic dynamics further mediate the relationship, creating disparities in life expectancy across and within countries. Labor market regulations and social protections emerge as key mechanisms to enhance longevity and reduce inequalities. The review identifies gaps in longitudinal, comparative, and subgroup-focused research, highlighting opportunities for future studies that integrate labor, demographic, and health perspectives. |
| Keywords: | Labor market participation, Life expectancy, Formal and informal employment, Socioeconomic factors, Labor regulations |
| JEL: | J30 |
| Date: | 2025–03–13 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:126181 |
| By: | Pearcy, Pauline |
| Abstract: | We examine the impact of status-based threshold incentives on physical activity habits using a longitudinal data set from a private health and life insurance provider in the United Kingdom. We find that status-based incentives effectively foster sustained behavioral change, persisting even after the incentive is removed. We find variations in responses based on status goal levels and peer influence within member group sets. These findings suggest that status-driven incentives are particularly effective among individuals with weaker pre-existing habits, reinforcing the importance of social comparisons and goal gradient effects in shaping behavior. Our results contribute to the broader literature on threshold incentives, habit formation, and peer spillover effects in physical activity. |
| Keywords: | physical activity; incentives; status incentive |
| JEL: | I12 D81 D91 |
| Date: | 2025–11–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:129786 |
| By: | Furnas, Alexander C; Wang, Dashun |
| Abstract: | This study offers the first systematic analysis of scientific papers cited in both Republican and Democratic policy documents. Using data from Overton and Dimensions, we examine congressional reports, hearings, and think tank publications. We find that bipartisan citations, while rare, highlight papers of exceptional scientific influence. Policy documents citing these papers also receive more citations, amplifying their policy impact. Yet bipartisan-cited science is unevenly distributed—concentrated in monetary policy and healthcare, but notably absent in climate, inequality, and race and gender. These results show that bipartisan engagement, though limited, marks a uniquely influential core of science in both research and policy. |
| Date: | 2025–10–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:w4tzb_v1 |
| By: | Jirjahn, Uwe (University of Trier); Rienzo, Cinzia (University of Brighton) |
| Abstract: | Previous studies on working from home (WFH) and employee well-being have produced conflicting results. We hypothesize that giving workers a choice over whether to use WFH plays a crucial role in the consequences for well-being. This has a series of testable implications for empirical work. Using panel data from the UK, our fixed effects estimates show that not only the actual use, but also the pure availability of WFH is linked with improved job-related and overall mental health. Not controlling for the pure availability of WFH implies that the positive influence of the actual use of WFH is underestimated. However, we find a positive link between the use of WFH and overall mental health only for the years before and after the pandemic. The link was negative during the COVID-19 crisis where WFH was largely enforced. Moreover, gender moderates the influence of WFH on mental health. For women, both the actual use and the pure availability of WFH are positively associated job-related and overall mental health. For men, we find a more mixed pattern where either only the pure availability or only the actual use has an influence on mental health. Men are more likely to over- or underrate the consequences of WFH than women. |
| Keywords: | pandemic, COVID-19, freedom of choice, remote work, mental well-being, gender |
| JEL: | I10 I31 J16 J22 M50 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18187 |
| By: | Meier, Dennis H. (Leibniz University of Hannover); Thomsen, Stephan L. (Leibniz University of Hannover); Kroher, Martina (Leibniz University of Hannover) |
| Abstract: | The number of students experiencing mental health problems has risen across Europe in recent years. Besides a detrimental effect on study success, there may be lasting negative consequences. Because mental health problems can arise due to chronic perceived stress, we focus on students’ stress perceptions. Based on two large-scale student surveys in Germany, we investigate stress perceptions during two phases of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020 and 2021), when different restrictions were in place. The empirical results—obtained by estimation of structural equation models—show that academic workload was constantly the main stress factor for students in both years. Financial stress was especially significant during the economic restrictions in 2020, accounting for more than one-third of the impact of academic workload. In addition to personal resources, social contact proved to be a buffer against perceived stress. During the social restrictions in 2020, increased social contact—when possible—significantly reduced perceived stress, lowering it by one-quarter relative to academic stress. The results also show an association between perceived stress, decreased life satisfaction, and a higher risk of dropping out of higher education. |
| Keywords: | higher education, mental health, perceived stress, COVID-19 |
| JEL: | I14 I23 I24 |
| Date: | 2025–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18180 |