Job Loss: Eat, Drink and Try to Be Merry?

41 Pages Posted: 21 Jul 2009 Last revised: 28 Apr 2023

See all articles by Partha Deb

Partha Deb

City University of New York, CUNY Hunter College - Department of Economics

Bill Gallo

Yale University

Padmaja Ayyagari

Department of Economics, University of South Florida

Jason M. Fletcher

University of Wisconsin - Madison - Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs; Yale University - School of Public Health

Jody L. Sindelar

Yale University - School of Public Health

Date Written: July 2009

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of job loss from business closings on body mass index (BMI) and alcohol consumption. We improve upon extant literature by using: exogenously determined business closings, a sophisticated estimation approach (finite mixture models) to deal with complex heterogeneity, and national, longitudinal data (Health and Retirement Study). For both alcohol consumption and BMI, we find evidence that individuals who are more likely to respond to job loss by increasing unhealthy behaviors are already in the problematic range for these behaviors before losing their jobs. Thus health effects of job loss could be concentrated among "at risk" individuals.

Suggested Citation

Deb, Partha and Gallo, William and Ayyagari, Padmaja and Fletcher, Jason M. and Sindelar, Jody L., Job Loss: Eat, Drink and Try to Be Merry? (July 2009). NBER Working Paper No. w15122, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1434636

Partha Deb

City University of New York, CUNY Hunter College - Department of Economics ( email )

695 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10021
United States

William Gallo

Yale University ( email )

PO Box 208034
60 College Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
(203) 785-2854 (Phone)
(203) 785-6287 (Fax)

Padmaja Ayyagari

Department of Economics, University of South Florida ( email )

Tampa, FL 33620
United States

Jason M. Fletcher

University of Wisconsin - Madison - Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs ( email )

1180 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1393
United States

Yale University - School of Public Health ( email )

PO Box 208034
60 College Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States

Jody L. Sindelar (Contact Author)

Yale University - School of Public Health ( email )

PO Box 208034
60 College Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
203-785-5287 (Phone)
203-785-6287 (Fax)