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Three Essays On The Societal Impact Of Health Policies And Laws, Xuanhao He

Economics ETDs

This dissertation provides evidence to the two contentious debate over health policies and laws in the US, Medicaid expansion and sex offender registration and notification. In Chapter 2, I explore one key determinant of Medicaid take-up, the benefit of access to care proxied by the Medicaid-to-Medicare primary care physician payment ratio. Using a unique dataset of Medicaid physician reimbursement rates and the American Community Survey of 2010 – 14, I find that a 10-percentage-point increase in the payment ratio of a 30-minute new patient office visit will increase Medicaid enrollment among uninsured adults in poverty by more than 150,000. In …

Market And Non-Market Valuation Of Renewable Energy, Jamal Mamkhezri

Economics ETDs

This dissertation is an assessment of market and non-market valuation of renewable energy, specifically within the electricity sector. It contributes to the energy and economics literature through a battery of three chapters. This dissertation utilizes New Mexico as a case study, which is an economically poor and natural-resource rich state that produces and consumes electricity in the southwestern United States. It is also one of the four states that have adopted a policy for 100% clean energy by 2045.

The first chapter models state- and county-level economic (e.g., employment, economic output, etc.) and environmental (e.g., externality, health impact, water use, …

Migration, Return Migration, And Economic Development In Latin America, Jose R. Bucheli

Economics ETDs

This dissertation presents a collection of essays that study ways in which human mobility affects economic development in origin countries. It focuses on Latin America—a region historically connected to episodes of large-scale migration, recipient of significant remittance flows, and victim of sluggish economic growth. The first two chapters examine the effects of return migration from the United States on aggregate economic welfare and non-state violence in communities of origin in Mexico. The analysis is motivated by the historic reversal in the Mexico-U.S. migration flows in the early 2000s. The third chapter analyzes the interaction between remittances, migration, and secondary school …

Essays On Energy Economics And Environmental Policies, Janak R. Joshi

Economics ETDs

This dissertation contains three distinct empirical chapters in applied energy and environmental economics. Each chapter focuses on a unique set of research questions, methods, and data. The unifying motivation therein concerns the development of renewable or alternative low-carbon energy sources as a policy response to the challenges of climate change mitigation, local and regional environmental quality issues, and energy security concerns. Economic and environmental evaluation of the energy policies coupled with understanding energy use patterns is of paramount importance. Together, the empirical chapters focus on demand, supply, and policy aspects of energy markets in the United States (US).

First, Chapter …

Essays On The Factors That Contribute To Body Mass Index, Veronica Salinas

Economics ETDs

Using diet, exercise, consumer behavior, and demographic data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), I examine the factors that contribute to body mass index (BMI) for the adult working age population. In Chapters 2 and 3, I examine how female BMI varies by race and ethnicity. In Chapter 4, I study the effect of food deserts on BMI and obesity for both males and females.

In Chapter 2, I use Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) to examine the factors that influence female BMI for the adult working age population. Results indicate 12 of the 40 covariates are strongly …

Effects Of Exposure To Violence On Health In Iraq Between 2006-2007, Fatemeh Shahandeh

Economics ETDs

Iraq has experienced protracted years of war in last two decades. These prolonged years of war in Iraq manifested conflict and violence, degeneration of economic conditions and a serious breakdown of public health services. Deaths, injury and acts of violence such as kidnapping, threat and witnessing heavy casualties are only a few examples of events that Iraqi people experienced during war times. Conflict can result in lasting and profound consequences for the health of the Iraq population. The burden of the communicable, non-communicable disease and mental illnesses in war zone areas is rising rapidly and becoming a major challenge to …

Water And Healthcare Access Disparities: Impacts On Health, Wealth And Education., Justin Whetten

Economics ETDs

Rural communities in the United States and developing countries face a common problem of access. Lack of clean water or medical specialists can be solved by current technology, but there is a lack of resources and understanding of the problems. Rural communities in developing countries have a lack of access to clean water. Expansion of current water infrastructure and sanitation facilities could be done, but these are large costly projects. The lack of clean water, however, has dire negative effects on child mortality, household morbidity and overall household earning potential. In the United States, rural communities face a similar problem …

Understanding And Modifying Health Behaviors, Kristina N. Piorkowski

Economics ETDs

This dissertation explores two drivers behind the spread of non-communicable diseases – sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and youth tobacco use – in order to improve policies tailored to mitigate these behaviors. Chapter 2 uses primary survey data to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for a tax on sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) in New Mexico. Traditional contingent valuation regression methods were reformulated as a three-equation system. Results indicate that respondents who have healthier eating habits have statistically significantly higher preferences for SSB taxes. The estimated individual median WTP 95% confidence interval was 0.002-0.961 pennies-per-ounce. Chapter 3 continues the exploration into SSB …

Essays In The Social Determinants Of Health And Public Health Policy, Glen Vincent Mcdermott

Economics ETDs

There is broad-based qualitative evidence arguing that stress is a public health concern. In the search for causality however, economists investigating public health concerns are often limited to a narrow subset of socio-economic status (SES) factors which are not well suited to the evaluation of stress/health effects. As a result, economists have a difficult time answering the “how” and “why” questions which emerge from the well-respected SES/health gradient. This dissertation focuses on a subset of stressors credibly affiliated with SES to address two pathways underling the established SES/Health gradient. Chapter 2 uses the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to test …

Transitions From Higher Education To The Labor Market: Merit Aid, Time To Degree Signals, And Major Choice, Christopher P. Erwin

Economics ETDs

Human capital production is central to economic wellbeing from a national perspective: it improves productivity, spurs technological innovation, and promotes sustainable economic growth over time. Equally important, investments in human capital are central to economic wellbeing at the individual level. College graduates tend to earn more money, are more employable, are better able to manage economic downturns, and have even been shown to have better health. Moreover, for many students, the college experience is an important lesson in living independently, developing social and professional networks, and generally taking on more responsibility in one’s life. It has been said that pursuing …

An Analysis Of Socio-Economic Consequences Of Cancer In Nepal, Soumi Roy Chowdhury

Economics ETDs

This dissertation investigates the socio-economic burden of cancer patients using a primary survey in Nepal. Given the low uptake rate of cancer screening facilities in developing countries, my study covers three important issues: the need of information dissemination on cancer prevention among asymptomatic individuals, the emotional stress of cancer patients in relation to a control group of patients, and the severity of economic burden due to premature cancer related deaths measured at the national and individual levels. In developing countries with low level of information and awareness, it is difficult to communicate the importance of cancer preventative measures to the …

Three Essays On Understanding Municipal Water Demand In The Western United States, Michael J. O'Donnell

Economics ETDs

Scarce water resources in the Western United States, in concert with population growth and climate change, constitute a need to better understand factors that impact water demand. In this dissertation, Chapter 1 provides cultural and historical context for water use in the West and argues that understanding water demand is important, especially when managing scarcity is a goal. Chapter 2 uses aggregate city-level data from four municipalities in New Mexico to investigate seasonal trends and breakpoints. Although per premises and aggregate demand tend to decline in all geographies investigated, existence and timing of breakpoints varies by geography. Additionally, drivers of …

Spatial And Temporal Intricacies Of Natural Resource Use: Studies In Water, Forests, And Hydrocarbons, Dadhi Adhikari

Economics ETDs

This dissertation examines spatial and temporal impacts of natural resource use. The second chapter integrates hydrological and economic systems to examine the impact of drought on these two systems and explores the spatial impact of policies aimed to mitigate the drought impact. The systems dynamics model developed for this chapter simultaneously considers the physical hydrology in the Middle Rio Grande water basin in New Mexico, the engineered water management system, and a behavioral model of residential water demand for three cities: Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The simulation results showed that droughts that occur in later periods, …

Reactions To Market Failure And Approaches To Reduce Market Failure, Yingzhe Cheng

Economics ETDs

Market failure can have serious negative consequences on human welfare, including various health risks to people. How to best correct market failure becomes an important question. Different approaches may reduce market failure, such as direct government regulation, or market based approaches. This research explores consumers’ or societies’ reactions to market failure and approaches to reduce market failure.

The first study uses a random utility model and a choice experiment method to estimate Chinese parents’ marginal willingness-to-pay for potential policy changes that target overall food safety. Results suggest that a policy that provides both direct government regulation and information to create …

Investigating Strategies To Improve Health Care Labor Market, Health Outcomes, Health Care Quality, And To Reduce Emergency Department Utilization And Costs: A Study Of The Effectiveness Of Family Friendly Policies, Patient-Centered Communication, And Enhanced Access To Care, Juliette Guemmegne Tayou

Economics ETDs

This dissertation investigates three important issues in the US health care system: the low utilization of family-friendly policies by health care professionals, the sub-optimal quality of medical services, and the high level of emergency department (ED) expenditures. Chapter 2 uses a unique dataset from a choice experiment to address the first issue by exploring the impact of supervision support on the economic value of family-friendly policies. My results suggest that supervisors’ support for the use of family-friendly services significantly increase the economic value of the family-friendly benefits provided. Chapter 3 and 4 investigate the effectiveness of patient-centered care models in …

Individual And Household-Level Effects Of Energy Poverty On Human Development, Brandon Bridge

Economics ETDs

This study investigates some of the predictors of energy poverty, the interrelationships between different expressions of energy poverty, and the human development impacts of energy poverty on primarily rural individuals and households in an underdeveloped country. It uses data from four rounds of Nicaragua's Living Standards Measurement Survey, and examines the effects of energy poverty on income, education, and health.

Chapter 1 provides background information on energy poverty in general, as well as the specific situation that has developed in Nicaragua. It also provides a modeling framework, both conceptual and mathematical, for the ways in which energy poverty impacts human …

Essays On Risky Health Behavior, Bern Dealy

Economics ETDs

Risky health behaviors including substance abuse and risky sex are a significant contributor to chronic illness in the US. Efficient use of public resources to avert or mitigate the consequences of risky health behaviors requires a better understanding of the overall costs of risky health behavior to society. Additionally, a better understanding of the value and behavioral consequences of programs designed to mitigate the consequences of risky health behavior is needed. This dissertation utilizes a number of unique methodological and empirical tools to examine the consequences of risky sex and drug abuse and the value of policies which seek to …

Food Security, Climate Change, And Poverty Reduction In Rural Nepal, Wenmei Guo

Economics ETDs

Smallholder famers in the developing countries, especially those who mainly depend on rain-fed agriculture, are vulnerable and sensitive to climate change because such agricultural cultivators largely depend on traditional farming techniques, and are less capable of coping with climate change (Krishnamurthy et al., 2013). Like many other developing countries, agricultural production in Nepal is largely dependent on rainfall, which causes high sensitivity to climate change for household food security. This dissertation, which is composed of three main studies, examines how serious climate change affects household food security, as well as the potential strategies households could adopt to cope with food …

Health Outcomes And Optimal Choices In Urban Areas In Response To Environmental Shocks And Changes In Forest Amenities, Benjamin Jones

Economics ETDs

Forests and trees may play important roles in human health outcomes and choices made by individuals in urban areas. Disruptions to forest amenities and tree canopy coverage caused by shocks to the natural environment may affect urban air quality, behavioral decisions, time use habits, and environmental management. This work exploits two distinct and unrelated shocks to forests in the United States to investigate the environmental and health economic links in urban areas between people and trees, and a proposed deeply ingrained role for environmental health in how people live, interact, optimize in their communities. The first chapter argues that environmental …

Essays On Gender, Ethnicity, And Health In The United States And Turkey, Tunay Oguz

Economics ETDs

This dissertation is composed of three studies examining barriers to health and healthcare that affect individuals on the basis of their race, ethnicity, and gender. The first study examines access to care disparities between non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics. I find that observed characteristics explain all of the disparities in access to care between these two groups, a marked change from a decade ago when characteristics explained only 65 percent. However, disparities in access to care between women and men remain unexplained even when differences in their attitudes and beliefs regarding healthcare are controlled for, especially for Hispanic men and women. …

Economic Analysis Of Infrastructure Investment And Irrigation Budget Issues In A Southwestern U.S. Water Utility, Heidi Pitts

Economics ETDs

The three chapters of this dissertation investigate two policy issues faced by water utilities: infrastructure investment and water budget programs. Water utilities have infrastructure that is deteriorating at an increasing rate, necessitating higher rates of investment from ratepayers. At the same time utilities must improve their management of existing water supplies in order to postpone the need to procure water supplies with a higher marginal cost. Water budgets are a way to manage scarce water resources more efficiently. The first chapter focuses on customer preferences for infrastructure investments. Individuals are willing-to-pay to have fewer outages at home, shorter average outage …

Differential Returns To Education Across Cognitive Ability Levels: Evidence From Cebu Longitudinal Health And Nutrition Survey Data, Tej Gautam

Economics ETDs

This thesis estimates the returns to education in association with childhood cognitive ability for Filipino youth using the Cebu Longituditional Health and Nutrition Survey Data. After reviewing wide range of literature on returns to education and cognitive ability, we find that limited studies have been done concerning the returns to education in conjunction with childhood cognitive ability in the context of developing country. Estimated results using OLS method show that the male returns to education at average cognitive level is 2.5% and for female it is around 8%. In terms of cognitive ability, the marginal effect of schooling decreases as …

Santa Fe, New Mexico's Living Wage Ordinance And Its Effects On The Employment And Wages Of Workers In Low-Wage Occupations', Justin B. Hollis

Economics ETDs

In June of 2004 the City of Santa Fe enacted a living wage ordinance requiring an $8.50 minimum wage, the largest increase of a universal coverage municipal wage floor over its previous prevailing minimum of any municipal living wage law preceding it. Using occupational employment and wage estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program, this paper analyzes the impact of Santa Fe's living wage on workers in low-wage occupations. Our estimates compare labor market outcomes for low-wage workers in Santa Fe and Albuquerque and show low-wage workers in Santa Fe experienced substantial hourly wage increases, …

Ethno-Racial Disparities In Health Outcomes: Evidence From The Aging Population, Olufolake Odufuwa

Economics ETDs

This dissertation assesses racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes of the aging population, with focus on improving functional health, health status and quality of life at both individual and community levels. Chapter 2 examines racial and ethnic disparities in willingness to pay (WTP) for improved health among an aging population sample while also examining the impact of health status and risky health behaviors. Results indicate that racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to have a positive WTP for improved health than non-Hispanic Whites. However, WTP for minorities is found to be significantly lower than for non-Hispanic Whites. However, …

Towards Reaching Sustainable Urban Development In The Kathmandu Valley Of Nepal: An Economic Analysis Of Solid Waste Management, Recycling, And The Health Impacts Of Air Pollution., Menuka Karki

Economics ETDs

The Kathmandu Valley is a rapidly growing and densely populated largest urban area, which includes the capital city, in Nepal, and it faces the challenge of protecting environment and safeguarding public health. This dissertation spans over three separate papers and addresses the two environmental issues of the Kathmandu valley i.e., management of solid waste and outdoor air pollution. Solid waste management related two papers talk about peoples preference and willingness to pay for improvement in the solid vi waste management service, and the determinants of people's recycling behavior. Outdoor air pollution paper estimates health impact of exposure to outdoor air …

Collaborating To Ruin? Us National Laboratories And The Impact Of International Research Partnerships, Gerald Hendrickson

Economics ETDs

Following the Cold War, Russian and US research institutions forged new collaborative ties to take advantage of perceived complementarities in conducting scientific research as part of US nonproliferation initiatives. These ties appear to have been successful in the broader nonproliferation context as relatively few Russian nuclear scientists emigrated to perceived rogue states like Iran and North Korea in the years that immediately followed the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Early on, the research benefits of these ties appeared to be significant. Today, as the Russian science and technology cadre is going through a demographic transition and the Russian state is …

A Geospatial Approach To Wildlife And Wilderness Management, Naresh Nepal

Economics ETDs

The populations in the western United States have increased significantly over the last few decades resulting in increased development pressures on undeveloped and pristine lands. Population growth and increased human activities have also changed the overall ecosystems more rapidly and extensively in recent years than in the past, emphasizing the need for protecting natural land and ecosystems. This dissertation conducts analyses to highlight the importance of protected areas and wildlife habitat. Chapter 1 explores the use of Poisson and negative binomial regression models to examine winter habitat use by mountain goats in the Kenai Mountains of South-Central Alaska. Using GPS …

Socio-Economic And Demographic Predictors Of Mammography And Pap Smear Screening In Us Women, Curtis Christensen

Economics ETDs

In 2010, 240,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 16,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer (www.seer.cancer.gov). In spite of technological advances and increases in education regarding cancer screening, healthcare costs are still on the rise and disagreement still exists between physicians who create guidelines and policy makers (Woloshin, 2000). This project examines cancer screening and examines socio-economic and demographic predictors for usage of preventative screening measures. This project also examines disparities in the current screening process. Data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from 1987 and 2010 were used to compare differences across time. The results indicate …

Examining The Influence Of Landscape On Natural Resource Management In The American West: A Geospatial Approach, Robert Fonner

Economics ETDs

Landscapes can influence natural resource values and management in a variety of ways. These diverse influences can be generated by biophysical or social systems, or interactions between systems. This dissertation examines the landscape determinants of natural resource values and management. Chapter 2 examines moose habitat preferences with a spatial discrete-choice model. The study tests for spatial autocorrelation and compares the results to results from nonspatial models. The objective of this analysis is to explore the human-based and naturally occurring determinants of moose habitat selection while presenting a method and example for addressing spatial correlation between spatially positioned alternatives in a …

How Do The Public's Environmental Attitudes Affect Recreation Demand For National Forests And Grassland In The Southwest?, Alejandro Prera

Economics ETDs

This dissertation studies the relationship between environmental attitudes and National Forest management in the Southwest, specifically the effect that attitudes have on changes to recreation fees. Although there is research on the effect of environmental attitudes on willingness-to-pay for environmental goods (e.g., Spash 2000; Spash 2006; Ojea and Loureiro 2007), little work has been done on analyzing the effect that environmental attitudes have on changes to recreation fees. I help address this gap by investigating the effects that public land values, a measure of environmental attitudes, have on changes to recreation fees at National Forests using primary data from a …