Sara Markowitz

Does the Length of Maternity Leave Affect Maternal Health

The objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of the length of maternity leave on maternal health in a sample of working mothers. Two measures of depression and a measure of overall health are used to represent maternal health. Ordinary Least Squares models provide baseline estimates, and instrumental variables models account for the potential endogeneity of the return-to-work decision. The findings suggest that returning to work later may reduce the number or frequency of depressive symptoms, but the length of time before returning to work is not associated with a lower probability of being a likely case of clinical depression. Similarly, there is little evidence that longer maternity leave impacts physical and mental health as measured by frequent outpatient visits during the first six months after childbirth.

Is youth smoking responsive to cigarette prices? Evidence from low- and middle-income countries

Objective To estimate the price elasticity of cigarette demand among youth in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Data The Global Youth Tobacco Survey was used to obtain data on the smoking behaviour of 315 353 adolescents from 17 LMIC. Design Two-part model of cigarette demand with country fixed effects. The first part estimates the impact of prices on smoking participation while the second part estimates the impact of prices on the number of cigarettes smoked among current smokers. Besides controlling for individual characteristics such as Age, Gender, Parental Smoking and availability of Pocket Money, the authors control for confounding environmental factors such as anti-smoking sentiment, the prevalence of cigarette advertising and anti-tobacco media messAges, and ease of purchasing cigarettes. All countries in this study are represented with at least two observations over time, which allows us to control for unobserved country characteristics and/or policies that may influence smoking patterns within countries. Results Cigarette price is an important determinant of smoking. The estimated price elasticity of smoking participation is −0.74, and the estimated price elasticity of conditional cigarette demand is approximately −1.37. The total price elasticity of cigarette demand is −2.11, implying that an increase in price of 10% would reduce youth cigarette consumption by 21.1% at the mean.

The effects of daylight and daylight saving time on US pedestrian fatalities and motor vehicle occupant fatalities

This paper analyzes the effects of daylight and daylight saving time (DST) on pedestrian and motor vehicle occupant fatalities in the United States. Multivariate analyses of county level data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System for 2-week periods in 1998 and 1999 are used. Results show that full year daylight saving time would reduce pedestrian fatalities by 171 per year, or by 13% of all pedestrian fatalities in the 5:00-10.00 a.m. and in the 4:00-9:00 p.m. time periods. Motor vehicle occupant fatalities would be reduced by 195 per year, or 3%, during the same time periods.

Reducing Prenatal Smoking: The Role of State Policies

BACKGROUND Maternal smoking causes adverse health outcomes for both mothers and infants and leads to excess healthcare costs at delivery and beyond. Even with substantial declines over the past decade, around 23% of women enter pregnancy as a smoker and though almost half quit during pregnancy, half or more quitters resume smoking soon after delivery. PURPOSE To examine the independent effects of higher cigarette taxes and prices, smokefree policies, and tobacco control spending on maternal smoking prior to, during, and after a pregnancy during a period in which states have made changes in such policies. METHODS Data from pooled cross-sections of women with live births during 2000-2005 in 29 states plus New York City (n=225,445) were merged with cigarette price data inclusive of federal, state, and local excise taxes, full or partial bans on smoking in public places, and tobacco control spending. Probit regression models using a mixed panel, state fixed effects, and time indicators were used to assess effect of policies on smoking (during 3 months before pregnancy); quitting by last 3 months of pregnancy; and having sustained quitting at the time of completing the postpartum survey. RESULTS Multivariate analysis indicated that a

An Investigation of the Effects of Alcohol Policies on Youth Stds

1.00 increase in taxes and prices increases third-trimester quits by between 4 and 5 percentage points after controlling for the other policies and covariates. Implementing a full private worksite smoking ban increases quits by the third trimester by an estimated 5 percentage points. Cumulative spending on tobacco control had no effect on pregnancy smoking rates overall. Association of tobacco control policies with maternal smoking varied by age. CONCLUSIONS States can use multiple tobacco control policies to reduce maternal smoking. Combining higher taxes with smokefree policies particularly can be effective.

Tobacco Control Policies and Youth Smoking: Evidence from a New Era

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the role of alcohol policies in reducing the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among youth. Previous research has shown that risky sexual practices (e.g., unprotected sex and multiple partners) that increase the risk of contracting an STD are highly correlated with alcohol use. If alcohol is a cause of risky sexual behaviour, then policies that reduce the consumption of alcohol may also reduce the incidence of STDs. In this chapter, we examine the relationship between alcohol policies (e.g., beer taxes and statutes pertaining to alcohol sales and drunk driving) and rates of gonorrhea and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) among teenagers and young adults. Results indicate that higher beer taxes are associated with lower rates of gonorrhea for males and are suggestive of lower AIDS rates. Strict drunk driving policies in the form of zero tolerance laws may also lower the gonorrhea rate among males under the legal drinking age.

The Effect of an Increased Minimum Wage on Infant Mortality and Birth Weight

This chapter examines the impact of cigarette prices, taxes, and tobacco control policies on youth and young adult smoking propensity and intensity, in the U.S. during the years 1997-2001, a period characterized by significant changes in cigarette prices and tobacco control policies. Employing a fixed effects technique, we find a strong negative impact of cigarette prices and taxes on youth and young adult smoking prevalence and conditional demand. Moreover, we find purchase, use, and possession laws to be inversely related to youth and young adult smoking prevalence.

Tobacco Control Policies, Birth Outcomes, and Maternal Human Capital

OBJECTIVES To investigate the effects of state minimum wage laws on low birth weight and infant mortality in the United States. METHODS We estimated the effects of state-level minimum wage laws using a difference-in-differences approach on rates of low birth weight (< 2500 g) and postneonatal mortality (28-364 days) by state and month from 1980 through 2011. All models included state and year fixed effects as well as state-specific covariates. RESULTS Across all models, a dollar increase in the minimum wage above the federal level was associated with a 1% to 2% decrease in low birth weight births and a 4% decrease in postneonatal mortality. CONCLUSIONS If all states in 2014 had increased their minimum wages by 1 dollar, there would likely have been 2790 fewer low birth weight births and 518 fewer postneonatal deaths for the year.

Estimating the Relationship between Alcohol Policies and Criminal Violence and Victimization

Smoking during pregnancy can have significant adverse health effects for babies, yet many women smoke during pregnancy. In this paper, we examine whether state tobacco control policies lead to improved birth outcomes and to what extent the success of these policies depends on accumulated maternal human capital. We use data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System in a time period when states significantly changed their tobacco control policies. Results show that the smoking policies are limited in their effectiveness. The largest improvements in birth outcomes from higher cigarette prices are among babies of women who have accumulated the least human capital.

Child Access Prevention Laws and Nonfatal Gun Injuries

Abstract Violence is one of the leading social problems in both Europe and the United States. The development of appropriate public policies to curtail violence is confounded by the relationship between alcohol and violence. In this article, we estimate the propensity of alcohol control policies to reduce the perpetration and victimization of criminal violence. We measure violence with data on individual-level victimizations from the U.S. National Crime Victimization Survey. We examine the effects of a number of different alcohol control policies in reducing violent crime. These policies include the retail price of beer, drunk driving laws and penalties, keg laws and serving and selling laws. We find some evidence of a negative relationship between alcohol prices and the probability of alcohol- or drug-related assault victimizations. However, we find no strong evidence that other alcohol policies are effective in reducing violent crimes.