“ … Market?. Department of Economics, June 2020. ADVISOR: Younghwan Song One provision of the Affordable Care Act was … ”
Abstract
One provision of the Affordable Care Act was to expand Medicaid eligibility for a greater number of low-income patients. The resulting increase in demand for care was largely explored, but the effect of the 2014 Medicaid expansion on the physician and advanced practitioner labor market has not been well researched by economists. Using pooled cross-sectional data from the 2010 - 2018 American Community Surveys, this paper examines whether the Medicaid expansion has caused notable changes in physician, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner hours, compensation, and overall employment. The literature shows that practices that employ nurse practitioners are far more likely to accept Medicaid patients due to the lower wage rates of nurse practitioners that offset lower reimbursement rates for Medicaid patients. This study finds that the weekly hours worked by nurse practitioners increased significantly in states that have implemented Medicaid expansion, whereas physicians and physician assistants saw no change in their hours or earnings. Further, Medicaid expansion led to no significant change in the overall employment of each type of provider in states. Thus, the response of the health care system to the Medicaid expansion is in line with the profit maximizing input allocation.
“ … the Most? Department of Economics, June 2019. ADVISOR: Younghwan Song The opioid epidemic has cost the US more than … ”
Abstract
The opioid epidemic has cost the US more than one trillion dollars over the past 17 years and is expected to cost more than 500 billion dollars over the next three years. Utilizing state level panel data from the 2006-2013 Current Population Surveys and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Systems, this paper uses regression analysis to examine the effects of various factors, such as income, unemployment, health insurance coverage, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, age, and health status, on opioid overdose/abuse. By identifying the high-risk groups, resources can be more efficiently allocated to the areas and people in need. These resources include educating the people and the health care providers in the affected area, providing accessible Naloxone, implementing opioid addiction relief programs, etc. Having these resources accessible to the areas in need will improve the health of the population and reduce health care costs. Other researchers have identified these high-risk groups on a local level. This study provides a more in-depth statewide review of high-risk groups. This paper finds those who are widowed or divorced, higher education graduates, not in the labor force, with reported poor health, on Medicaid, uninsured, who identify in the other race category, or who live in metropolitan areas are high-risk. Further, prescription rate per state was associated with higher prescription opioid overdose death rate. Considering this, additional attention should be placed on these high-risk groups when considering treatment, prevention, and other tactics to help battle the ongoing epidemic.
“ … of Economics and Sociology, June 2010. ADVISOR: YounghwanSong, Melinda Goldner Using data from the Center … ”
Abstract
Using data from the Center for Mental Health Services Uniform Reporting System on state-wide mental health services from 2003 to 2007, this paper investigates the differences between states in the utilization of community mental health treatment and state psychiatric in-patient care. During the 1970s the United States undertook the policy of deinstitutionalization of mental institutions. The movement of patients from institutions into the community left a large gap in the amount and types of services available to patients needing psychiatric care. As a result, there was an increased demand for community mental health supports provided by states to compensate for the closing of mental institutions. This paper investigates who is more likely to receive community care for psychiatric illnesses and who is more likely to receive institutionalized care based on levels of supports available in each state. The gender, ethnicity, age, Medicaid funded treatment and employment status of patients served by each state are analyzed to compare the differences in utilization of mental health care services in each state. This study finds that as the amount of total psychiatric care increases, the utilization of community care increases as well. Additionally, as expected, utilization of community psychiatric care increase with increases in State Mental Health Agency (SMHA) per capita expenditures. Policy makers can use these results to further implement deinstitutionalization policies.
“ … United States Department of Economics, June 2010. Advisor: Younghwan Song Obesity is a global epidemic unique to the … ”
Abstract
Obesity is a global epidemic unique to the 21st century. Obesity rates in the United States continue to rise at an alarming rate and so do the health care costs associated with treating obesity related illnesses. Using the 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), this paper investigates the effects of an adult’s external environment and personal choices on their Body Mass Index (BMI). Energy dense foods that are high in sugar and fat are in abundant supply to U.S. citizens in cafeterias, convenience stores, and cost-effective fast-food restaurants. Adults typically choose to eat higher calorie foods over fruits and vegetables. This paper finds that adults who consume fruits daily are less likely to be obese. Intake of these foods is controllable and seen as a major cause of the obesity epidemic in the United States. In turn, many policy makers and health experts should focus on changing the behavioral and nutritional habits in Americans to curb the rise of this chronic condition.
Additionally, this study analyzes the effects of activity at work on obesity. According to the 2008 American Time Use Survey, Americans spend as much time working as they would anything else. This study finds that individuals who have a job that requires a more physically demanding form of labor and higher activity level are less likely to be obese. Therefore, the workplace is another area where policy makers can combat the rising rates of obesity.
“ … in the U.S. Department of Economics, June 2010. ADVISOR: Song,Younghwan During the past twenty years, the prevalence of … ”
Abstract
During the past twenty years, the prevalence of obesity in the United States’ population has been increasing, and projections indicate this trend is accelerating. This study provides insight into whether the negative effect of obesity on wages is related to obesity’s growing prevalence in the US.
Using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) from two waves (1986 and 2007), this paper utilizes OLS regression analysis to examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and hourly wages to determine the wage penalty of obesity for individuals over time. Previous studies find correlations between BMI and lost wages. This study seeks to improve this by tracking the trend of the obesity wage penalty over this 21-year period. Additionally, this study controls for the effects of sex, education, age, race, occupation-based interpersonal skills, full/part-time status, tenure, smoking, marital status, presence of a child, metropolitan status and health on lost wages.
The regressions show statistically significant wage penalties for obese and very obese females and underweight males, but a significant wage premium for overweight males. From 1986 to 2007, the wage penalty has increased for women between the ages of 25 and 45. Consequently, it is logical for women to be concerned about the growth of this trend and thus their BMI affecting wages. However, the average BMI of the US population has been increasing, so overweight is becoming the new normal weight, mitigating some of the effects of BMI on hourly wages. Regardless, government agencies can focus on these demographics for obesity prevention and anti-discriminatory policies.
“ … Younghwan Song for their comments and suggestions towards … ”
Abstract
Healthcare expenditures have been on the rise for many countries, especially for the developed countries. As of 2009, Japan, Australia and Canada are spending around 8 to 10% of their total GDP on healthcare, while the United States is currently up to 16%. One of the major factors contributing to increased expenditures on healthcare is the emergence of medical technology.
Using data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD), I empirically investigate the effects of medical technologies and healthcare expenditure on health outcomes for a group of 17 countries. Medical technology is measured by the number of MRI machines, CT scanners, mammography machines and radiation therapy equipment and their usage. Health outcomes are measured by life expectancy at birth, life expectancy at age 65 separated by males and females, infant mortality rate, and potential years of life lost (PYLL), also classified by males and females. Health expenditures are separately measured at both the public and private level. I employ a cross-country regression analysis and control for the number of hospital beds and physicians, GDP per capita, percentage of GDP spent on healthcare and lifestyle factors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption.
The results show that increases in most medical equipments are associated with higher life expectancies and lower mortality rates. A higher share of public spending on health care is associated with increased mortality rates and lower life expectancies for males and females.
Among all industrialized nations, the United States faces the highest rates of teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Previous studies have indicated that teens use engagement in sexual activity as a social mechanism to gain popularity among their peers. This paper focuses on two issues: social factors such as peer perceptions towards other peers engaging in sex and using contraceptives, and assesses the level of knowledge teens have about sex, STDs, pregnancy, and contraceptives that could have an effect on the teen pregnancy and STD rates in the United States.
Cross-sectional data from Waves I and II (1994-96) National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health was analyzed using a probit regression model in order to investigate the effect of a teen's attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge of contraceptives and sexual activity on pregnancy for females and STD rates for males and females separately in the United States. The survey asks both male and female youth various knowledge and perception questions about sex, contraceptives, and STDs. An indexed knowledge and responsible perception variable were created and regressed against pregnancy and STD rates in the following wave.
Results suggest that the knowledge variable does not have a significant effect on the pregnancy and STD rates whereas the perception variable has a significant effect on the pregnancy rate only. This suggests that further sex education initiatives should be more focused on realistic scenarios of pregnancy and STDs and facilitate discussion among peer groups on the issues of sex, pregnancy, and STDs so that teens develop a better understanding of sexual activity and the impact it may have on their futures.
“ … Well-Being. Department of Economics, June 2014. ADVISOR: Song,Younghwan . Using cross-sectional data from the Behavioral … ”
Abstract
Using cross-sectional data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the American Time Use Survey Well-Being Module, this paper looks at how retirement affects one's subjective well-being. The retirement-consumption puzzle indicates that at retirement individuals discover they have fewer economic resources than they had anticipated prior to retirement. As a consequence they reduce consumption, which contradicts the prediction of consumption smoothing based on the life-cycle model of consumption. But at the same time people have more time for leisure and home production after retirement. How does this tradeoff between consumption and leisure after retirement affect an individual's subjective well-being, such as life satisfaction, U-index, net affect, and meaningfulness? This paper controls for age, race, education, marital status, and income in analyzing an individual's subjective well-being before and after retirement. I find that retirement has a negative effect on one's subjective well-being. However, after correcting for endogeneity of retirement, it turns out that retirement actually does not affect one's subjective well-being.
“ … Department of Economics, June 2018. ! ADVISOR: PROFESSOR Younghwan SONG ! The modern explosion of M&A activity in the … ”
Abstract
The modern explosion of M&A activity in the United States has generated significant controversy and advocates both for and against hospital consolidation have been quite vocal in presenting their cases. Using mergers and acquisitions reports from Irving Levin Associates as well as financial and quality metrics from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the American Hospital Directory, this study examines the differences between consolidated and unconsolidated hospitals in terms of overall revenue and quality, in addition to prices and costs for specified diagnoses.
Consolidated hospitals undergo significant changes during their transition and oftentimes operate in a manner different than that of an unconsolidated hospital, suggesting that these figures will be different on a comparisonbasis.
To asses the differences between consolidated and unconsolidated hospitals, this paper uses Ordinary Least Squares regressions and three propensity score matching methods: nearest neighbor, kernel, and stratification matching. These matching methods are used to mitigate for the potential endogeneity associated with hospital M&A analysis.
This study finds that hospitals which underwent M&A between 2012 and 2014 have higher revenues but lower quality, while they charge lower prices and cost less to payers for several of the presented diagnoses. To make hospital mergers and acquisitions truly efficient, consolidated hospitals should strive to increase quality while continuing to operate in a financially efficient manner.
“ … Department of Economics, June 2017. ADVISOR: Professor Younghwan Song It is widely understood that one of the most … 34-39. Hou, Ningqi, Barry M. Popkin, David R. Jacobs, Yan Song, David K. Guilkey, Ka He, Cora E. Lewis, and Penny Gordon … ”
Abstract
It is widely understood that one of the most significant public health challenges in the United States is obesity which could rightly be considered an epidemic. Accompanied by billions of dollars in both explicit and implicit costs obesity places great strain on the health care system and economy as a whole. Years of scientific research has linked obesity to three main determinants: genetics over-eating and lack of physical activity. Recent research has introduced the study of the connection between the macro-economy and rates of physical activity thus linking economic variables to obesity. This paper investigates the connection between gasoline prices and physical activity as a potentially novel method to combat the high prevalence of obesity in the US. Using data from the American Time Use Survey this paper builds extensively on Sen (2012) which identified a positive association between gasoline prices and physical activity levels. Economically the relationship exists by way of a substitution effect as people drive less when gas prices are high and/or an income effect as people will become more frugal due to higher expenditures on gasoline. This paper expands beyond Sen by controlling for the long-term effect of gasoline prices and including data up until the year 2015. This paper finds that higher gasoline prices are associated minimally with higher overall average physical activity scores on the individual level. However this paper does not find a significant effect when analyzing specific activities such as running and bicycling. As a result there not enough clear evidence that policies such as gasoline taxes may prove valuable in the fight against the obesity epidemic.
“ … Department of Economics, June 2019. ADVISOR: Professor Younghwan Song The male labor force participation rate has … ”
Abstract
The male labor force participation rate has been declining for decades, dropping from nearly 90% down to 69.3% as of now. Using survey respondent data from the 2003-2017 American Time Use Survey, this paper investigates how nonworking males choose to allocate their time in a day. This paper examines how the time allocation has changed over time for males ages 25-34 as well as for those who have less than a high school degree because these two samples shows significant changes in time allocation. For the other samples, ages 35-44 and 45-54 as well as all education levels higher than a high school degree, not much change in their time allocation was shown between males and females. This paper finds that when not participating in the labor force, males do not substitute market work with household production, but instead spend more time on leisure activities. Females who are not in the labor force instead increase their household production. Observing this trend over time, this paper finds that men contribute even less household production in 2017 than in earlier years. Focusing on leisure activities, this study finds that young and uneducated nonworking males are increasing the amount of time allocated for recreational computer use as well as for watching movies and TV.
“ … Market. Department of Economics, June 2014. ADVISOR: Younghwan Song Two rare and uncontrollable events that … ”
Abstract
Two rare and uncontrollable events that recently took place in Manhattan were the attacks on the World Trade Center and Hurricane Sandy. Both of these catastrophic events affected the commercial real estate market in Manhattan in several ways. Using quarterly time-series data between 1996 and 2013 collected from Brookfield Office Properties, this paper utilizes regression analysis to investigate the effects of these events on vacancy rate, absorption rate and rent in Manhattan. The regression analyses control for location and building type such as Midtown, Downtown and Classes A,B,C, as well as economic factors such as unemployment rate and the S&P index. The regression results show that rent decreased in Downtown after 9/11 by 22% compared to Midtown. Rent showed a similar relationship with Sandy. Absorption rate also significantly decreased in Downtown by 4.98% after 9/11 compared to Midtown. Vacancy rate showed no significant effects from these two events.
Social Security benefits serve as a chief form of income for many retirees. However, the value of these benefits varies based on the age at which a person claims in relation to their Full-Retirement Age (FRA). This paper analyzes the effects of the FRA on the claiming decision of Americans using panel data from the Health and Retirement Study. Current policy has resulted in increases to the FRA of eligible claimants based on their birth year. This has been done in an effort to increase the age at which people claim in response to concerns with the long?term solvency of the Social Security System. This paper uses three different models of censored normal regression analysis to differentiate between married respondents with and without their spousal characteristics and unmarried respondents. Further, it draws conclusions across genders. This paper finds that increases in the FRA are associated with slightly less than proportional increases in the claiming age of all respondents. In addition, this study finds that higher self?reported health measures and higher self-reported probabilities of working to age 65 are related to higher claiming ages, while current smokers claim earlier across all respondents. Finally, this study finds that unmarried respondents who believe that their health status limits their ability to work and those who are currently receiving pension income are more likely to claim at an earlier age, while unmarried respondents with Retiree Health Insurance (RHI) claim later.
“ … States? Department of Economics, June 2017. Advisor: Younghwan Song This paper investigates the often repeated … ”
Abstract
This paper investigates the often repeated 'lump of labor' theory that the increasing labor force participation of older workers negatively impacts the labor market activity of younger workers. Using the panel data spanning from 1998 to 2015 from the Merged Outgoing Rotation Groups of the Current Population Survey, this paper employs time-series state-level regressions to determine the extent to which such 'crowding out' exists in the United States. Existing studies show little evidence of substitution between young and old workers. In contrast to previous studies, this paper controls for differences in individual educational levels by disaggregating the labor force sample into four educational attainment categories: less high school graduates; high school graduates; some college graduates; and college-higher graduates. This is an indicator of skills associated with workers since the more similar the groups are, with respect to skills, the greater the degree of possible substitution. The estimates show no evidence that increasing the employment of older persons reduces either the job opportunities or wage rates of younger counterparts. The patterns are consistent when including considerations of education level. The lack of the trade-off of job opportunities between younger and older workers will not only have an important policy implication, but also lead to a reexamination of the overall understanding of labor markets.
“ … (2006-2009) Department of Economics, June 2012. ADVISOR: Younghwan SONG This paper investigates whether or not … ”
Abstract
This paper investigates whether or not aggregate state satisfaction plays a significant role in the movement of people across state borders. A person's decision on whether to migrate or not depends on the anticipated utility of the origin state compared to that of the destination state. If the utility of the destination state is greater than the utility of the origin state, the person will relocate, and if the utility of the destination state is lower than the utility of the origin state, the person will not relocate.
Utility includes both monetary and non-monetary costs and benefits. The monetary utility includes demand for labor, per capita income, costs of migration, and other monetary considerations. However, non-monetary utility is less easily quantified. Satisfaction also affects utility (Di Tella et al. 2006) and, thus, should also be a consideration of non- monetary utility. Using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which presents satisfaction indices for all 50 states within the United States between 2005 and 2008, and the American Community Survey, a migration dataset from 2006 through 2009, this paper finds that satisfaction is a factor in people's decisions to migrate between states. Satisfaction is important in both of the participating states. Increased satisfaction in the origin state lowers the amount of out-migration. Increased satisfaction in the destination state increases the amount of in-migration.
“ … Status. Department of Economics, June 2022. ADVISOR: Dr. Younghwan Song In the past several decades, there has been a … ”
Abstract
In the past several decades, there has been a cultural movement towards women being employed in the labor force rather than working in the home. With the Covid-19 pandemic, as many workers began to work from home, boundaries between home and work became less clear. Using pooled cross-sectional data from the 2019-2020 American Time Use Survey I examine how the work hours of different groups were impacted during the pandemic, with respect to sex, marital status, and parental status. I find that work hours decreased most significantly for partnered mothers who did not work from home. Partnered mothers likely reduced their hours in response to heightened childcare needs, as their spouses continued working their usual hours. My findings indicate that the pandemic contributed to inequalities in employment between men and women. Now, with most schools in America once again holding classes in person, less time is needed for childcare activities. Future policy should be aimed at getting partnered mothers to increase their hours or rejoin the workforce, as they now have more flexibility to do so.
“ … BMI Over Time Department of Economics, June 2017 ADVISOR: Song,Younghwan Obesity in the United States has been growing at an … ”
Abstract
Obesity in the United States has been growing at an alarming rate, driving up health care costs and also promoting a worsening wage penalty for overweight workers. This study explores the determinants of the wage penalty borne by overweight individuals. To investigate this phenomenon individual BMI history was obtained from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics for 1986-1999. Upon examination of the cross-sectional data from 1986, there was a wage penalty observed for males who were underweight and for females who were overweight. The analysis of panel data from 1986 and 1999 however showed that it is not the BMI in 1986, but rather the change in BMI between 1986 and 1999 that is associated with a wage penalty. Among males, a wage penalty exists for those displayed an increase or decrease in BMI from normal weight compared to those who stayed normal weight. Among females, a wage penalty was seen for all who showed an increase in BMI. These results suggest that the overweight/normal weight wage gap is driven in part by a non-causal explanation rather than a causal explanation such as BMI. For example, individuals with increasing BMI may have lower self-esteem leading to less ambition to climb to higher paying jobs in the work force.
“ … Statistics. Department of Economics, June 2015. ADVISOR: Younghwan Song . Since mid-20th century, international … ”
Abstract
Since mid-20th century, international migration has become a widespread phenomenon in nearly all industrialized countries and a major shaping force of the international labor market. Most economic theories consider labor migration to be an investment of human capital where workers seek to maximize household income and minimize financial risks. Because exchange rate changes affect prospective income and financial risks associated with migration, studying the responsiveness of skilled migrants to exchange rate fluctuations contribute to the studies of labor economics and international economics. This paper further investigates whether an appreciation in U.S. dollars incentivizes both skilled and unskilled workers to migrate to the United States. In addition to analyzing the effect of the percentage changes in exchange rate, this study examines the effect of exchange rate volatility and investigates whether uncertainty and unpredictability discourage labor migration. This paper singles out skilled migration, as represented by Nonimmigrant H-1B Visa admissions before extending to all temporary worker visas and eventually the all visa classes. This paper discovers a positive effect of the depreciation of the migrants' home currency on the migration population. Uncertainty in exchange rates also deters the highly skilled from entering the U.S., while the same effect is not seen in overall labor migration. Comparing the estimated effects on labor migration to student visa and total nonimmigrant visa issuance, this paper adds evidence to the human capital theory of labor migration and sheds light on the on-going discussion of immigration reform in the U.S.
“ … Problem Department of Economics, June 2015 ADVISOR: Younghwan Song Due to the increasing flow of immigrants into … ”
Abstract
Due to the increasing flow of immigrants into the United States in recent years, numerous researchers have been examining the socioeconomic characteristics of immigrants including wage differential. However, the majority of such wage analysis raises a key issue of the sample selection problem. This problem occurs when one has a non-random sample by ignoring the decision process to be participants of the sample, and it has a potential danger of a biased and inconsistent estimation. In the view of this, it is important to estimate the decision factors of employment status - being a wage earner or self-employed - before the wage analysis. The regression analysis follows that of Lofstrom (2002). He estimates the earnings of wage earners and the self-employed by correcting selection bias using a method introduced by Heckman (1979). Using the data from the 2003 and 2013 American Community Survey PUMS, my study aims to analyze the economic performance of immigrant wage workers by country of origin while correcting for sample bias and updating the findings of Lofstrom. The estimates find that immigrant enclave and earning differential variables have significant effects on the probability of being a wage earner. The negative sign of the correction term suggests negative selection into the wage/salary sector.
“ … Department of Economics, June 2015. ADVISOR: PROFESSOR Younghwan SONG Over the past two decades, marijuana has been … ”
Abstract
Over the past two decades, marijuana has been the most widely used illicit drug by adolescents in the US. The drug continues to soar in popularity as both a recreational and medicinal drug despite mounting scientific research that marijuana consumption may impair cognitive function including deficits in learning, memory, motivation, and attention. Marijuana use has also been linked to exacerbation of depression and anxiety symptoms. Though federal laws still classify marijuana as an illegal substance, recent state-level legislation has sparked national debate over its legal status. In fact, 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical use and four—Colorado, Washington, Alaska, and Oregon-have legalized marijuana for recreational use. This paper investigates the impact that marijuana legalization has on income, education, and depression using cross-sectional and time-series data from the 1996-2013 (not including 2002) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey and 1995-2013 Current Population Survey. The regressions indicated that marijuana legalization had an effect on several of the outcome variables. Those living in states that permitted marijuana dispensaries had wage premiums and higher self-employment, but males had higher high school dropout rates and females had more depressive days. States that permitted home cultivation were also affected, with increases in depressive days and self-employment for both genders. Finally, states that legalized marijuana for recreational use showed wage penalties for females and decreases in self-employment for both genders. However, there was no evidence that marijuana legalization had an effect on unemployment.
“ … Department of Economics, June 2013. ADVISOR: Professor Younghwan Song Adolescent well-being is an important issue in … ”
Abstract
Adolescent well-being is an important issue in society today. There are a growing number of children being raised in single-parent households, which raises questions as to whether or not these children are worse off than children raised in two-parent households. Using the 2010 American Time Use Survey Well-Being Module, this study investigates if the subjective well-being of children raised in single-parent households is worse than that of children raised in a two-parent household. Two measures of subjective well-being-the U-index and net affect-are analyzed. The U-index measures the proportion of time a respondent spends in an unpleasant state and net affect measures the average difference of positive and negative emotions for each episode. Controlling for various adolescent characteristics, such as age, race, sex, and education, this analysis finds that adolescents living with a single father have lower U-index than those living in two-parent households. But no such pattern was found in the analysis of net affect.
“ … in the United States. Department of Economics, Professor YounghwanSong, June 2014. Using Current Population Survey data in the … ”
Abstract
Using Current Population Survey data in the period from 1996 -2011, this paper analyzes the relationship between labor union participation and income inequality in each of the 50 U.S. states. Since the 1970s the income gap in the United States has grown steadily and today the United States is the most unequal of all OECD countries (with the exception of Mexico and Turkey). In the past ten years alone, the disposable income for middle class families in the United States has shrank by a figure of 4 percent.
In addition to rising income inequality, labor union participation has been on a downward spiral since the early 1980s as well. Today, union participation in the United States is one of the lowest of any developed country. Many past studies have explored a multitude of different factors to explain this phenomenon. The main lesson of the existing literature on this topic is that there is no single "story" or "factor" that can explain the bulk of this extraordinary trend. This paper does in fact reinforce the literature of past studies. My findings indicate that there is indeed no single "story" or factor that can explain income inequality in the United States of America. For the most part, the findings were insignificant in explaining the trend in rising income disparity in the period from 1996-2011.
“ … Professor YounghwanSong, who kindly offered me some very helpful … ”
Abstract
Over the past 35 years, the One Child Policy (OCP) has had enormous influences on almost every aspect of Chinese society. The exacerbated unbalanced sex ratio and the unequal implementation of the OCP between Han Chinese and ethnic minorities have brought some interesting changes to China's marriage market. This paper explores the differences between the marital prospects of Han Chinese and ethnic minorities under the influence of the OCP. Using 2007 China Household Income Project (Data) and 2010 Chinese Population Census Data, this paper finds that under the circumstances of the OCP, Han Chinese, especially Han women, enjoy more advantages in the marriage market than ethnic minorities. This paper also finds that ethnic minority population share of a city starts to play an important role in determining individual's marital prospect since the implementation of the OCP, and Han Chinese are more likely to be married in cities with high ethnic minority population shares.
“ … Nonsmokers? Department of Economics, June 2012. ADVISOR: Younghwan Song Public health advocates justify cigarette … ”
Abstract
Public health advocates justify cigarette taxes, claiming they discourage smoking, which results in a healthier population. However, the more pertinent issue with which health advocates should be concerned is that of smoker well?being. In this paper, I investigate whether cigarette taxes make smokers relatively more satisfied than nonsmokers. Additionally, because poor smokers have a higher discount rate than wealthy smokers, and therefore, perceive the tax differently, I explore the effect that income, in conjunction with a cigarette tax increase, has on smokers' life?satisfaction.
Using cross?sectional and time?series data from the 2005?2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, this paper utilizes regression analysis to investigate the effect of cigarette tax on the happiness of smokers relative to nonsmokers and of poor smokers relative to wealthy smokers. Inflation?adjusted tax data was collected from The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and state unemployment rates were collected from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Inconsistent with the findings of Gruber and Mullainathan (2005), this paper finds that the satisfaction of smokers does not change relative to nonsmokers in response to cigarette taxes, implying that they do not act in a time?inconsistent manner as was previously thought. In addition, this paper finds some evidence that the satisfaction of low?income smokers increases relative to high?income smokers in response to a cigarette tax. Policymakers should consider this result when enacting tax hikes.
