- COVID vaccine mandates at US colleges substantially reduced COVID deaths, cases and ICU admissions in the surrounding communities. https://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2024/04/01/jhr.0123-12743R2 180 comments science
- Immigration improves the quality of care in nursing homes – "Local increases in immigration lead to fewer falls, less use of restraints, and fewer pressure ulcers among nursing home residents, as well as improvements in other measures of quality of care." https://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2023/07/03/jhr.0720-11063R2 48 comments science
- Losing a father has substantial adverse economic long-term effects for sons from non-wealthy background. Sons from wealthy families suffer no adverse economic effects. [The study uses deaths in the in the U.S. Civil War to assess children’s long-run socioeconomic outcomes]. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2023/02/01/jhr.0122-12118R2.abstract 12 comments science
- Air filter installations in school boost the educational performance of students (measured by test scores) by reducing their exposure to pollution. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2023/02/01/jhr.0421-11642R2.abstract 321 comments science
- In 2007, NASCAR switched from leaded to unleaded fuel. After the switch, children who were raised near racetracks began performing substantially better in school than earlier cohorts. There were also increases in educational performance relative to students further away. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2022/10/03/jhr.0222-12169R2.abstract 1942 comments science
- Overconfidence in children can be good: 8-11 year olds who are overconfident in their math ability are more likely to graduate from high school and under-confident children are less likely to graduate from college than others with comparable childhood math scores. Effects persist in adulthood. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2022/09/02/jhr.0621-11743R3.abstract 103 comments science
- In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria (2017), there was large-scale Puerto Rican migration into Orlando, Florida. This migration shock did not have adverse labor market effects, rather it increased non-Hispanic employment and had positive aggregate labor market effects for less-educated workers. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2022/06/01/jhr.0521-11655R1.abstract 73 comments science
- 100 additional hours of sunshine during the first six months of life reduces the risk of being obese at age 6 by 2.6 percent. Researchers say it is likely because of higher Vitamin D intake. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2022/05/02/jhr.0920-11159R1.abstract 328 comments science
- The rollout of Secure Communities, a large-scale immigration enforcement program, caused a reduction in the labor supply of college-educated U.S.-born mothers with young children. The program increased the cost of child care. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2022/05/02/jhr.0920-11197R1.abstract 2 comments science
- Students who attend culturally enriching field trips are more likely to express greater tolerance for people with different opinions, have an increased desire to consume arts, and have better educational outcomes than otherwise comparable students who did not go on trips [RCT data] http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2022/01/31/jhr.1020-11242R1.abstract 117 comments science
- About 20% of 4,154 U.S. job seekers in one study lied about attending or graduating from college. They most often claim to have degrees in business, social sciences and humanities. Researchers say this is because these degrees have few specific and verifiable skills, making it harder to verify. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2021/11/03/jhr.0119-9979R2.abstract 78 comments science
- 58% of major franchisor contracts include "no poaching" agreements whereby employees for one franchise may not subsequently be employed by an affiliated franchise (i.e. move from one McDonalds to another). These agreements are more common in low-wage and high-turnover industries. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2021/10/07/jhr.monopsony.1019-10483.abstract 50 comments science
- Head Start (a program that provides comprehensive education, health, and nutrition services to children of low-income families) significantly improves test scores for children who are exposed to the program. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2021/08/31/jhr.0419-10147r2.abstract 99 comments science
- Minimum wage increases lead to lower recidivism for released prisoners. The effects are primarily driven by a reduction in property and drug crimes when minimum wages go up. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2021/07/03/jhr.58.5.1220-11398R1.abstract 431 comments science
- Fighting Crime in the Cradle: Food stamp availability in early childhood leads to large reductions in later criminal behavior, study finds. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2021/04/05/jhr.58.3.0619-10276r2.abstract 15 comments science
- A Spanish policy of universal cash transfers to new mothers led to a substantial increase in births. Announcement of an end to the policy led to a massive increase in births just before the termination was implemented. After the actual cancellation, births declined substantially. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2021/02/05/jhr.59.1.0220-10725r2.abstract 17 comments science
- When few firms dominate a market, wages decline (consistent with the economic theory of monopsony). "Going from the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile in concentration is associated with a 5% (OLS) to 17% (IV) decline in posted wages." http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2020/05/04/jhr.monopsony.1218-9914r1.full.pdf+html 10 comments science
- Young offenders who are sent to more rehabilitative youth facilities become less likely to reoffend than youngsters who are sent to harsher youth facilities. The latter are 27% more likely to recidivate in the eight years subsequent to their custody. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2020/04/03/jhr.57.4.1017-9113r3.abstract 102 comments science
- There is no indication that reductions in school class size has any impact on individuals' long-term educational outcomes and economic outcomes. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/55/1/309.abstract 20 comments science
- Flu vaccination in the U.S. substantially reduces mortality and lost work hours. A one-percent increase in the vaccination rate results in 800 fewer deaths per year approximately and 14.5 million fewer work hours lost due to illness annually. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2019/09/10/jhr.56.3.1118-9893r2.abstract 1952 comments science
- There are caps on H-1B visas, making it harder for college-educated foreigners to work in the United States. However, since academic institutions are exempt from the cap, the cap raises international students’ likelihood of employment in academia, even outside of their field of study. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/54/2/401.abstract 4 comments science
- Toddlers and preschoolers from disadvantaged households who had access to food stamps have significantly better health outcomes at ages 6-16 than similar children who did not have access (the study uses variation in eligibility rules). http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2018/09/04/jhr.55.3.0916-8197r2.abstract 957 comments science
- The 2008 Economic Stimulus Payments led to an estimated 50,000 additional ER visits in CA alone, mostly due to increased drug and alcohol consumption. http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/49/2/424.abstract 3 comments science