Economics & Human Biology最新文献

Health effects of import shocks: Chronic illness and healthcare-seeking behavior in Germany. 进口冲击对健康的影响：德国的慢性病和求医行为。

IF 2 3区医学

Economics & Human Biology Pub Date : 2026-10-19 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101660

Andreea Alexandra Piriu

{"title":"Health effects of import shocks: Chronic illness and healthcare-seeking behavior in Germany.","authors":"Andreea Alexandra Piriu","doi":"10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101660","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101660","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examines long-term individual health outcomes and healthcare-seeking behavior using a population-based sample of German manufacturing workers matched with measures of Chinese import exposure from 1995 to 2016. Reduced-form estimates show that higher import competition increases individual healthcare utilization (self-reported physician visits) by 14% and the probability of chronic illness by 18.4%, implying a 1.6% annual rise in healthcare expenditure. Potential channels include: (a) income-based mechanisms affecting economic opportunity via employment, earnings and welfare reliance; (b) perception-based psychosocial channels such as job insecurity and income satisfaction. Results emphasize job insecurity's role in discouraging healthcare-seeking (behavioral dimension) while increasing the likelihood of chronic illness (biological dimension). Heterogeneous effects indicate that the increase in healthcare utilization is driven by workers with at least a high-school degree, whereas lower-educated workers exhibit little change in care-seeking response to the China shock. Chronic illness risks are concentrated among longer-tenured workers, consistent with cumulative exposure and lower labor mobility in import-competing industries. The findings highlight the need for preventive health policies to strengthen worker resilience and mitigate rising German chronic care costs.</p>","PeriodicalId":50554,"journal":{"name":"Economics & Human Biology","volume":"63 ","pages":"101660"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149289832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Corrigendum to "The impact of a household-level food retail environment health quality measure on diet quality" [Econ. Hum. Biol. 61 (2026) 101597]. “家庭一级食品零售环境卫生质量措施对饮食质量的影响”的更正[经济]。嗡嗡声。生物学报，61(2026):101597]。

IF 2 3区医学

Economics & Human Biology Pub Date : 2026-10-08 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101656

Benjamin Scharadin, Michele Ver Ploeg, Lauren Miller

引用次数: 0

Biases in medical decision-making: A cross-medication comparison 医疗决策偏差：跨药物比较。

IF 1.8 3区医学

Economics & Human Biology Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-07 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101574

Michele Cantarella , Simona Cantarella , Francesca Zaninotto , Massimo Riccaboni , Giulia Galli

{"title":"Biases in medical decision-making: A cross-medication comparison","authors":"Michele Cantarella , Simona Cantarella , Francesca Zaninotto , Massimo Riccaboni , Giulia Galli","doi":"10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101574","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101574","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this paper, we investigate whether cognitive biases in medical decision-making differ across types of medications when objective risks of side effects are held constant. Using data from a survey and a stated-choice experiment, we compare hypothetical medication-taking responses across four medication choices, including vaccines and therapeutic interventions, and four combinations of trials and side effects. Our main findings suggest that individuals are generally rational and prefer medications with lower risks, but responses to risk information differ systematically by medication type. In particular, individuals are more susceptible to salient side-effect information, especially for vaccines, even when overall risk levels are identical. Examining individual-level sources of variation, we find that many of these vaccine-specific distortions are substantially reduced once we account for vaccination hesitancy and illness-related anxiety, while other correlated individual characteristics also play an important role in explaining heterogeneity in medication-taking behaviour.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50554,"journal":{"name":"Economics & Human Biology","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 101574"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146158862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Limiting antidepressant prescriptions and suicide risk: Evidence from South Korea 限制抗抑郁药处方和自杀风险：来自韩国的证据。

IF 1.8 3区医学

Economics & Human Biology Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-05-04 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101603

Haewon Oh, Travis A. Smith

{"title":"Limiting antidepressant prescriptions and suicide risk: Evidence from South Korea","authors":"Haewon Oh, Travis A. Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101603","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101603","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>South Korea has the highest suicide rate in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In 2002, the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea implemented a policy limiting antidepressant prescriptions to 60 days in non-psychiatric clinics, aiming to prevent drug misuse. This study examines how this policy affected suicidal thoughts and attempts among patients with chronic disease. We use patients with chronic conditions, because they frequently receive antidepressants in non-psychiatric clinics, making them more vulnerable to these prescription limits. We use two approaches. First, a synthetic control method with country-level data shows a significant increase in suicide rates in South Korea following the policy compared to synthetic counterparts. Second, a difference-in-differences analysis with individual-level data shows a 0.4 percentage point increase in suicide attempts among those with chronic disease, and a 2.2 percentage point increase among those who also reported suicidal thoughts. These correspond to 36% and 51% increases relative to their pre-policy baselines. The analysis reveals that the policy’s intention-to-treat effects on suicidal behaviors vary across demographic groups, with larger effects observed among divorced individuals, those with lower levels of education, and individuals in lower income quartiles. These findings point to the potential unintended consequences of restrictions on antidepressant prescriptions that can lead to adverse health outcomes among vulnerable population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50554,"journal":{"name":"Economics & Human Biology","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 101603"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147876356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The role of parenting style and socio-economic status in child development: Understanding the underlying dynamics 父母教养方式和社会经济地位在儿童发展中的作用：了解其潜在的动力。

IF 1.8 3区医学

Economics & Human Biology Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-16 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101584

Eleonora Matteazzi , Vincenzo Prete

{"title":"The role of parenting style and socio-economic status in child development: Understanding the underlying dynamics","authors":"Eleonora Matteazzi , Vincenzo Prete","doi":"10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101584","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101584","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We apply latent class analysis to the German Family Panel data to identify latent family types and assess the association between various aspects of the home environment and child development. These aspects include family socio-economic background, parenting style, and parental involvement in children’s learning activities. Child development is measured across several dimensions, including schooling outcomes, non-cognitive abilities, psychological well-being, and maintaining a healthy weight. Our findings suggest that a rich socio-economic background appears more strongly associated with schooling performance, social integration, and maintaining a healthy weight than parenting style. In contrast, self-esteem and psychological well-being are more closely related to parenting quality, indicating that good parenting may compensate for the disadvantages of growing up in a poor socio-economic family environment. For most outcomes, additive dynamics between parenting style and socio-economic status correspond to larger development gaps between children from the least and most advantaged families.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50554,"journal":{"name":"Economics & Human Biology","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 101584"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147322535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Spousal bereavement and depression: Testing moderating effects of pre-loss circumstances and social support in India 配偶丧亲和抑郁：在印度测试丧亲前环境和社会支持的调节作用。

IF 1.8 3区医学

Economics & Human Biology Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-24 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101585

Vijay Victor

{"title":"Spousal bereavement and depression: Testing moderating effects of pre-loss circumstances and social support in India","authors":"Vijay Victor","doi":"10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101585","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101585","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Widowhood represents a critical life transition with profound implications for mental health, yet causal evidence from low and middle income countries (LMICs) remains scarce. This gap is particularly acute in contexts like India, where population ageing is accelerating rapidly, and traditional family support systems are evolving. The causal effect of spousal loss on depression is estimated using panel data from India's Longitudinal Ageing Study (LASI) and doubly robust difference-in-differences (DRDID) estimation. Depression trajectories were compared between 343 older adults who experienced widowhood and 2305 married controls (sample mean age 65 years 2 months), adjusted for baseline characteristics. Widowhood increases depressive symptoms by 1.07 CES-D points, representing an 11% increase relative to baseline. The effects vary substantially by characteristics of the loss and social context. Individuals who lost healthy spouses experienced significantly greater mental health deterioration compared to those whose spouses were chronically ill, suggesting that sudden, unexpected loss generates more severe psychological consequences than anticipated bereavement. The findings also show larger effects among socially isolated individuals, though this difference does not reach conventional significance levels. Interestingly, even socially connected individuals show substantial effects, indicating that spousal relationships provide unique mental health benefits that cannot be fully replaced by other social ties. These findings have important implications for targeting bereavement, support interventions in ageing populations and provide supportive evidence for the identification strategy by demonstrating effect patterns inconsistent with anticipatory grief bias.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50554,"journal":{"name":"Economics & Human Biology","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 101585"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147357537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Silver bullet? The effect of mask mandates on COVID-19 cases 银子弹?口罩强制令对COVID-19病例的影响

IF 1.8 3区医学

Economics & Human Biology Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-05-03 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101606

Elisha K. Denkyirah , Raymond J. March

引用次数: 0

The height of Swiss mercenaries, c. 1725 – c. 1865 瑞士雇佣军的鼎盛时期（约1725年至1865年）

IF 1.8 3区医学

Economics & Human Biology Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-04-28 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101602

Cédric Chambru , Simon Hediger , Jakob Metzler , Ulrich Woitek

{"title":"The height of Swiss mercenaries, c. 1725 – c. 1865","authors":"Cédric Chambru , Simon Hediger , Jakob Metzler , Ulrich Woitek","doi":"10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101602","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101602","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper traces the evolution of the biological standard of living in Switzerland using anthropometric evidence from approximately 22,000 Swiss mercenaries born between c. 1725 and c. 1865. The data reveal a marked decline in average height beginning in the 1770s and persisting throughout the first half of the nineteenth century, with no clear signs of recovery. Mercenaries born before 1800 were on average 2.5 cm taller than those born thereafter, pointing to a sustained deterioration in net nutritional status and health conditions.</div><div>We account for variations in recruitment standards by estimating minimum height thresholds and potential selection effects across regiments. Although the mercenary sample represents a specific population group, the results are consistent with the economic difficulties of the late eighteenth century, the strains associated with early industrialization, and existing anthropometric evidence from Switzerland and other parts of Europe. Together, the findings suggest a prolonged decline in biological living standards during a critical phase of economic and social transformation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50554,"journal":{"name":"Economics & Human Biology","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 101602"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147849441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The legacy of Agent Orange: Prenatal exposure to dioxin and human capital formation 橙剂的遗产：产前暴露于二恶英和人力资本形成。

IF 1.8 3区医学

Economics & Human Biology Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-09 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101582

Thao Bui

引用次数: 0

County-level income inequality and suicide in the United States 美国县级收入不平等与自杀。

IF 1.8 3区医学

Economics & Human Biology Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-04-24 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2026.101600

Mark W. Frank, Fidel Gonzalez

引用次数: 0