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Mental illness, nativity, gender and labor supply
Author(s) -
Ojeda Victoria D.,
Frank Richard G.,
McGuire Thomas G.,
Gilmer Todd P.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
health economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.55
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1099-1050
pISSN - 1057-9230
DOI - 10.1002/hec.1480
Subject(s) - immigration , demography , mental health , medicine , mental illness , instrumental variable , gerontology , psychology , psychiatry , economics , geography , sociology , archaeology , econometrics
We analyzed the impacts of nativity and mental health (MH) on work by gender for non‐elderly adults using the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. We employed two indicators of MH – the K6 scale of Mental Illness (MI) and an indicator for symptoms of Mania or Delusions (M/D). Instrumental variable (IV) models used measures of social support as instruments for MI. Unadjusted work rates were higher for immigrants (vs US‐born adults). Regressions show that MI is associated with lower rates of work among US‐born males but not immigrant males and females; M/D is associated lower rates of work among US‐born males and females, and among immigrant males. Results did not change using IV models for MI. Most persons with MI work, yet symptom severity reduces labor supply among natives especially. Immigrants' labor supply is less affected by MI. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.