Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Job Acquisition, Retention, And Outcomes For Ethnic Minorities In Urban China, Reza Hasmath, Benjamin Ho

Reza Hasmath

Relaciones Norte-Sur Y Materias Primas, Antonio V. Menéndez Alarcón

Antonio V. Menéndez Alarcón

En 1973, los paises productores de petroleo aumentan el precio del petroloeo bruto de 1 a 3, e inician procesos de nacionalizatcion de todos los posos petroleros en Africa, Medio Oriene, America Central. Inmediatamente despues Marruecos, primer exportador mundial de Fosfatos...

The Impact Of Parental Drinking On Children's Use Of Health Care, Michael T. French, Ana I. Balsa

Michael T. French

While a significant body of literature documents the health problems of children caused by and/or associated with parental alcohol misuse, little research has been conducted on the relationship between parental problem drinking and children's use of health care. We should expect to see an increase in children's health care if alcohol-misusing parents were responsive to their children's higher physical and mental health needs. Contrarily, it would decrease (conditional on health status) if alcohol-misusing parents were irresponsive to those needs. Analyzing a nationally representative sample of parents and children, we find a positive and significant association between parental high intensity drinking …

The Economic Costs Of Quarterly Monitoring And Recovery Management Checkups For Adults With Chronic Substance Use Disorders, Michael T. French, Michael L. Dennis, Kathryn E. Mccollister, Christy K. Scott

Michael T. French

Recovery management checkups (RMCs) for clients with substance use disorders reduce the time from relapse to treatment reentry, increase treatment retention, and improve long-term outcomes. The objectives of this article are to calculate and compare the economic costs of providing outcome monitoring (OM) only with those of providing OM + RMC to help understand the feasibility of disseminating this model more widely. We estimate the total and incremental costs of OM and OM + RMC using data from a recently completed randomized controlled trial with adult chronic substance users (N = 446). Adding RMC to OM increased total intervention costs …

Longitudinal Analysis Of Changes In Illicit Drug Use And Health Services Utilization, Michael T. French, Hai Fang, Ana Balsa

Michael T. French

Objective. To analyze the relationships between illicit drug use and three types of health services utilization: emergency room utilization, hospitalization, and medical attention required due to injury(s). Data. Waves 1 and 2 (11,253 males and 13,059 females) from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Study Design. We derive benchmark estimates by employing standard cross-sectional data models to pooled waves of NESARC data. To control for potential bias due to time-invariant unobserved individual heterogeneity, we reestimate the relationships with fixed-effects models. Principal Findings. The cross-sectional data models suggest that illicit drug use is positively and significantly related …

Beauty And The Labor Market: Accounting For The Additional Effects Of Personality And Grooming, Michael T. French, Philip K. Robins, Jenny F. Homer

Michael T. French

This paper examines the influence of three non-cognitive personal traits — beauty, personality, and grooming — on the labor market earnings of young adults. It extends the analyses of Hamermesh and Biddle [1994, American Economic Review 84(5): 1174–1194] and others who focus primarily on the effects of beauty on labor market earnings. We find that personality and grooming significantly affect wages, and their inclusion in a model of wage determination reduces somewhat the effects of beauty. We also find some evidence of employer discrimination based on these traits in the setting of wages.

The Effects Of Alcohol Use On Academic Achievement In High School, Michael T. French, Ana Balsa, Laura M. Giuliano

Michael T. French

This paper examines the effects of alcohol use on high school students’ quality of learning. We estimate fixed-effects models using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Our primary measure of academic achievement is the student's grade point average (GPA) abstracted from official school transcripts. We find that increases in alcohol consumption result in small yet statistically significant reductions in GPA for male students and in statistically non-significant changes for females. For females, however, higher levels of drinking result in self-reported academic difficulty. The fixed-effects results are substantially smaller than OLS estimates, underscoring the importance of addressing unobserved …

This Recession Is Wearing Me Out! Health-Related Quality Of Life And Economic Downturns, Michael T. French, Maria E. Davalos

Michael T. French

Previous research on the relationships between macroeconomic conditions and health status reveal improvements in physical health during economic downturns. However, few studies have examined whether mental health status improves or declines during tough economic times. This paper estimates the effect of a key macroeconomic indicator, the state-level unemployment rate, on health-related quality of life. Analyzing recent data from Waves 1 and 2 of the NESARC and controlling for individual heterogeneity with fixed-effects models, our study suggests that health-related quality of life, both physical and mental, worsens with increases in the unemployment rate. Although the effect sizes are relatively small in …

Alcohol Use And Popularity: Social Payoffs From Conforming To Peers' Behavior, Michael T. French, Ana Balsa, Jenny Homer, Edward Norton

Michael T. French

Although many economic analyses of adolescents have examined the costs of risky behaviors, few have investigated the gains that young people derive from such actions, particularly in terms of social payoffs for complying with peer behavior. This paper studies the relationship between adolescents' use of alcohol (relative to that of their peers) and popularity at school. We use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a rich and nationally representative survey with detailed information on social networks. Our findings suggest that adolescents are socially rewarded for conforming to their peers' alcohol use and penalized (to a lesser degree) …

Disseminating Quality Improvement: Study Protocol For A Large Cluster-Randomized Trial, Michael T. French, Andrew R. Quanbeck, David H. Gustafson, James H. Ford Ii, Alice Pulvermacher, K John Mcconnell, Dennis M. Mccarty

Michael T. French

Background: Dissemination is a critical facet of implementing quality improvement in organizations. As a field, addiction treatment has produced effective interventions but disseminated them slowly and reached only a fraction of people needing treatment. This study investigates four methods of disseminating quality improvement (QI) to addiction treatment programs in the U.S. It is, to our knowledge, the largest study of organizational change ever conducted in healthcare. The trial seeks to determine the most cost-effective method of disseminating quality improvement in addiction treatment. Methods: The study is evaluating the costs and effectiveness of different QI approaches by randomizing 201 addiction-treatment programs …

That Instrument Is Lousy! In Search Of Agreement When Using Instrumental Variables Estimation In Substance Use Research, Michael T. French, Ioana Popovici

Michael T. French

The primary statistical challenge that must be addressed when using cross-sectional data to estimate the consequences of consuming addictive substances is the likely endogeneity of substance use. While economists are in agreement on the need to consider potential endogeneity bias and the value of instrumental variables estimation, the selection of credible instruments is a topic of heated debate in the field. Rather than attempt to resolve this debate, our paper highlights the diversity of judgments about what constitutes appropriate instruments for substance use based on a comprehensive review of the economics literature since 1990. We then offer recommendations related to …

From Job Search To Hiring To Promotion: The Labour Market Experiences Of Ethnic Minorities In Beijing, Reza Hasmath

Reza Hasmath

De La Búsqueda De Empleo Al Ascenso. Experiencias De Las Minorías Étnicas En Pekín, Reza Hasmath

Reza Hasmath

Recherche D’Emploi, Embauche Et Promotions Le Vécu Des Minorités Ethniques Sur Le Marché Du Travail De Beijing, Reza Hasmath

Reza Hasmath

Does Having A Dysfunctional Personality Hurt Your Career? Axis Ii Personality Disorders And Labor Market Outcomes, Michael T. French, Johanna Catherine Maclean, Susan L. Ettner

Michael T. French

Despite recent interest in how psychiatric disorders affect work outcomes, little is known about the role of personality disorders (PDs), which are poorly understood yet prevalent (15%) and impairing. We used nationally representative data for 12,457 men and 16,061 women to examine associations of PDs with any employment, full-time employment, chronic unemployment, being fired or laid off, and having trouble with a boss or co-worker. Antisocial, paranoid, and obsessivecompulsive PDs demonstrated the broadest patterns of associations with adverse outcomes. Findings suggest that PDs may have implications for the productivity of co-workers as well as that of the disordered employees themselves.

Heavy Drinking And Health Promotion Activities, Michael T. French, Ioana Popovici, Susan L. Ettner

Michael T. French

Empirical evidence suggests that individuals who consume relatively large amounts of alcohol are more likely to use expensive acute medical care and less likely to use preventive or ambulatory services than other individuals. The few studies that investigated the associations between heavy drinking and health promotion activities did not try to address omitted-variable biases that may confound the relationships. To fill this void in the literature, we examined the effects of heavy alcohol use on three health promotion activities (routine physical exam, flu shot, regular seatbelt use) using the US 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey. Although specification tests indicated …

The Cost Of Crime To Society: New Crime-Specific Estimates For Policy And Program Evaluation, Michael French, Kathryn Mccollister, Hai Fang

Michael T. French

Estimating the cost to society of individual crimes is essential to the economic evaluation of many social programs, such as substance abuse treatment and community policing. A review of the crime-costing literature reveals multiple sources, including published articles and government reports, which collectively represent the alternative approaches for estimating the economic losses associated with criminal activity. Many of these sources are based upon data that are more than 10 years old, indicating a need for updated figures. This study presents a comprehensive methodology for calculating the cost to society of various criminal acts. Tangible and intangible losses are estimated using …

Alcohol Use And The Labor Market In Uruguay, Michael T. French, Ana I. Balsa

Michael T. French

This paper is one of only a few studies to examine potential labor market consequences of heavy or abusive drinking in Latin America and the first to focus on Uruguay. We analyzed data from a Uruguayan household survey conducted in 2006 using propensity score matching methods and controlling for a number of socio-demographic, family, regional, behavioral health, and labor market characteristics. As expected, we found a positive association between heavy drinking and absenteeism, particularly for female employees. Counter to the findings for developed countries, our results revealed a positive relationship between heavy drinking and labor force participation or employment. This …

Alcohol Consumption And Body Weight, M T. French, E C. Norton, H Fang, J C. Maclean

Michael T. French

The number of Americans who are overweight or obese has reached epidemic proportions. Elevated weight is associated with health problems and increased medical expenditures. This paper analyzes Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions to investigate the role of alcohol consumption in weight gain. Alcohol is not only an addictive substance but also a high-calorie beverage that can interfere with metabolic function and cognitive processes. Because men and women differ in the type and amount of alcohol they consume, in the biological effects they experience as a result of alcohol consumption, and in …

Victimization In Early Life And Mental Health In Adulthood: An Examination Of The Mediating And Moderating Influences Of Psychosocial Resources, Michael T. French, Terrence D. Hill, Lauren M. Kaplan, Robert J. Johnson

Michael T. French

Although numerous studies have documented the long-term effects of childhood victimization on mental health in adulthood, few have directly examined potential mediators and moderators of this association. Using data from the Welfare, Children, and Families project (1999)—a probability sample of 2,402 predominantly black and Hispanic low-income women with children living in Boston, Chicago, and San Antonio—we predict psychological distress in adulthood with measures of physical assault and sexual coercion before age 18. Building on previous research, we test the mediating and moderating influences of emotional support, instrumental support, and self-esteem. Although we observe no indirect effects of physical assault, the …

Economic Evaluation Of A Pre-Release Substance Abuse Treatment Program For Repeat Criminal Offenders, Michael T. French, Hai Fang, Ralph Fretz

Michael T. French

Substance use disorders are common conditions among repeat criminal offenders. Without addressing these underlying substance use behaviors, parolees are significantly more likely to recidivate within 1 year of release. New Jersey is one of the first states to actively pursue substance abuse treatment options for inmates who are in the final stages of their sentences. Given the fiscal realities of taxpayer-supported programs, such initiatives must clearly demonstrate economic benefits for sustainability and growth. This article conducted one of the few comprehensive economic evaluations of prerelease substance abuse treatment to determine whether Community Education Centers' programs in New Jersey generated desirable …

Public Policies And Motorcycle Safety, Michael T. French, Gulcin Gumus, Jenny F. Homer

Michael T. French

Numerous studies have examined the effectiveness of alcohol and traffic policies in reducing automobile crashes and fatalities, but only a few have analyzed the impact of state-specific policies on motorcycle safety. Given the growing popularity and inherent safety risks of motorcycle riding, this study provides a comprehensive investigation of both fatal and non-fatal injuries. State-level longitudinal data from 1990 to 2005 are analyzed to determine how various alcohol and traffic policies impact motorcycle safety and whether there are differential effects by type of injury. The results consistently show that universal helmet laws have the most significant effect on both non-fatal …

Substance Use, Education, Employment, And Criminal Activity Outcomes Of Adolescents In Outpatient Chemical Dependency Programs, Michael T. French, Ana I. Balsa, Jenny F. Homer, Constance M. Weisner

Michael T. French

Although the primary outcome of interest in clinical evaluations of addiction treatment programs is usually abstinence, participation in these programs can have a wide range of consequences. This study evaluated the effects of treatment initiation on substance use, school attendance, employment, and involvement in criminal activity at 12 months post-admission for 419 adolescents (aged 12 to 18) enrolled in chemical dependency recovery programs in a large managed care health plan. Instrumental variables estimation methods were used to account for unobserved selection into treatment by jointly modeling the likelihood of participation in treatment and the odds of attaining a certain outcome …

“Effects Of Physical Attractiveness, Personality, And Grooming On Academic Performance In High School, Michael T. French, Philip K. Robins, Jenny F. Homer, Lauren M. Tapsell

Michael T. French

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), we investigate whether certain aspects of personal appearance (i.e., physical attractiveness, personality, and grooming) affect a student's cumulative grade point average (GPA) in high school. When physical attractiveness is entered into the model as the only measure of personal appearance (as has been done in previous studies), it has a positive and statistically significant impact on GPA for female students and a positive yet not statistically significant effect for male students. Including personality and grooming, the effect of physical attractiveness turns negative for both groups, but is only …

The Cost Of Treating Addiction From The Client's Perspective: Results From A Multi-Modality Application Of The Client Datcap, Michael T. French, Kathryn E. Mccollister, Jeffrey M. Pyne, Brenda Booth, Richard Rapp, Carey Carr

Michael T. French

There is a considerable disparity between the number of individuals who need substance abuse treatment and the number who actually receive it. This is partly due to the fact that many individuals with substance use disorders do not perceive a need for formal treatment. Another contributing factor, however, is a discrepancy between the real and perceived cost of services. Although many cost evaluations of substance abuse treatment have been conducted from the treatment provider perspective, less is known about the client-specific costs of attending treatment (e.g., lost work and leisure time, transportation, out-of-pocket and in-kind payments). Concerns about financial and …

The Health Effects Of Parental Problem Drinking On Adult Children, Michael T. French, Ana I. Balsa, Jenny F. Homer

Michael T. French

BACKGROUND: Much of the research on adult children of alcoholics has focused on the transmission of drinking patterns from parents to their children and the development of alcohol-related problems. Less is known about how exposure to parental problem drinking affects children as they progress into adulthood in terms of other mental health outcomes. This is crucial information, in part because the average age of onset for depression and other mental health disorders is during late adolescence or young adulthood. AIMS: The objective of this study was to rigorously assess the long-term impacts of parental problem drinking on adult children's mental …

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (Cea) Of Four Interventions For Adolescents With A Substance Use Disorder, Michael French, Silvana Zavala, Kathryn Mccollister, Holly Waldron, Charles Turner, Timothy Ozechowski

Michael T. French

Alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use among adolescents in the U.S. continues to be a serious public health challenge. A variety of outpatient treatments for adolescent substance use disorders have been developed and evaluated. Although no specific treatment modality is effective in all settings, a number of promising adolescent interventions have emerged. As policy makers try to prioritize which programs to fund with limited public resources, the need for systematic economic evaluations of these programs is critical. The present study attempted a cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) of four interventions, including family-based, individual, and group cognitive behavioral approaches, for adolescents with a …

Alcohol Consumption And Health Among Elders, Michael French, Ana Balsa, Jenny Homer, Michael Fleming

Michael T. French

Purpose: This article estimates the effects of alcohol consumption on self-reported overall health status, injuries, heart problems, emergency room use, and hospitalizations among persons older than the age of 65. Design and Methods: We analyzed data from the first wave of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a nationally representative study. We used multivariate regression and instrumental variables methods to study the associations between alcohol consumption (current drinking, binge drinking, and average number of drinks consumed) and several indicators of health status and health care utilization. Results:  Alcohol consumption by women was associated with better self-perceived health …

Economic Evaluation Of Adolescent Addiction Programs: Methodologic Challenges And Recommendations, Michael French, Jenny Homer, Michael Drummond

Michael T. French

This article identifies and describes several methodologic challenges encountered in economic evaluations of substance abuse interventions for adolescents. Topics include study design, the choice of perspective, the estimation of costs and outcomes, and the generalizability of results. Recommendations are offered for confronting these challenges using examples from research on adolescent substance abuse and dependency/addiction.

The Role Of Alcohol Use In Emergency Department Episodes, Michael French, Gulcin Gumus, Heather Turner

Michael T. French

This study investigates the association between alcohol use and emergency-department (ED) utilization in the United States using nationally representative data from the 2001 National Health Interview Survey (N = 33,326). Estimates from our probit models indicate that among men, current drinkers are less likely to have visited the ED in the past year than former drinkers. Among women, lifetime abstainers are less likely than current drinkers to have had an ED episode. Finally, frequency of binge drinking significantly increases the likelihood of ED visits for men. The results suggest that focusing solely on problem drinking provides a limited perspective.