Working Paper: NBER ID: w25474
Authors: Martin Halla; Chialun Liu; Jintan Liu
Abstract: Superstition is a widespread phenomenon. We empirically examine its impact on health-related behavior and health outcomes. We study the case of the Taiwanese Ghost Month. During this period, which is believed to increase the likelihood of bad outcomes, we observe substantial adaptions in health-related behavior. Our identification exploits idiosyncratic variation in the timing of the Ghost Month across Gregorian calendar years. Using high-quality administrative data, we document for the period of the Ghost Months reductions in mortality, hospital admissions, and births. While the effect on mortality is a quantum effect, the latter two effects reflect changes in the timing of events. These findings suggest potential benefits of including emotional and cultural factors in public health policy.
Keywords: superstition; health; ghost month; Taiwan
JEL Codes: D83; D91; I12; Z12
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| ghost month (Y70) | mortality (I12) |
| ghost month (Y70) | accidental deaths (J28) |
| ghost month (Y70) | non-accidental deaths (I12) |
| ghost month (Y70) | hospital admissions (I19) |
| ghost month (Y70) | admissions for surgeries (I11) |
| ghost month (Y70) | deferrable conditions (I12) |
| ghost month (Y70) | births (J11) |