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Health benefits of social insurance

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  • Hamid Noghanibehambari
  • Mahmoud Salari

Abstract

This paper studies the potential positive externality of unemployment insurance (UI) on infant birth outcomes. Taking advantage of variations of UI benefits across states and over time, we find that UI improves birth outcomes, including mean birth weight, full‐term birth weight, low birth weight, fetal growth, and preterm birth. If all states apply the UI schedule of the most generous state (Massachusetts), the average birth weight increases by roughly 19 g.

Suggested Citation

  • Hamid Noghanibehambari & Mahmoud Salari, 2020. "Health benefits of social insurance," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(12), pages 1813-1822, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:29:y:2020:i:12:p:1813-1822
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.4170
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Chris Sampson’s journal round-up for 7th December 2020
      by Chris Sampson in The Academic Health Economists' Blog on 2020-12-07 12:00:03

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    Cited by:

    1. Kamble, Vaibhav, 2021. "Health Returns to Birth Weight: Evidence from Developing Countries," MPRA Paper 105150, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Hamid NoghaniBehambari & Farzaneh Noghani & Nahid Tavassoli, 2021. "Early-life Income Shocks and Old-Age Cause-Specific Mortality," Papers 2101.03943, arXiv.org.
    3. Malika Sahel, 2022. "People Exchange: A British Councils Post-Colonial Distinguished Cultural Investment," European Journal of Social Sciences Articles, Revistia Research and Publishing, vol. 5, July -Dec.
    4. Megan M. Reynolds & Patricia A. Homan, 2023. "Income Support Policy Packages and Birth Outcomes in U.S. States: An Ecological Analysis," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(4), pages 1-24, August.
    5. Noghanibehambari, Hamid & Engelman, Michal, 2022. "Social insurance programs and later-life mortality: Evidence from new deal relief spending," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).

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