Working Paper: NBER ID: w15737
Authors: Xin Xu; Robert Kaestner
Abstract: In this paper, we take a structural approach to investigate the effects of wages and working hours on health behaviors of low-educated persons using variation in wages and hours caused by changes in economic activity. We find that increases in hours are associated with an increase in cigarette smoking, a reduction in physical activity, and fewer visits to physicians. More importantly, we find that most of the effects associated with changes in hours can be attributed to the changes in the extensive margin of employment. Increases in wages are associated with greater consumption of cigarettes.
Keywords: No keywords provided
JEL Codes: I12; J22
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| increases in working hours (J22) | increase in cigarette smoking (I12) |
| increases in working hours (J22) | reduction in physical activity (I14) |
| increases in working hours (J22) | fewer visits to physicians (I11) |
| one-dollar increase in real wage rate (J31) | increase in smoking prevalence (I12) |
| one-hour increase in work per week (J29) | increase in smoking prevalence (I12) |
| one-hour increase in work per week (J29) | decrease in likelihood of having at least one doctor visit (I11) |
| changes in economic activity (E39) | changes in wages (J31) |
| changes in economic activity (E39) | changes in working hours (J22) |
| changes in wages (J31) | health behaviors (I12) |
| changes in working hours (J22) | health behaviors (I12) |