Abstract: This study estimates the spillover effects of influenza vaccination on labor markets. To identify the causal impact of flu vaccines, I employ a difference-in-differences design based on plausibly exogenous variation in vaccine quality and local vaccination rates in the United States. I show that influenza vaccination not only reduces illness but also generates substantial gains in employment and wages. My analysis suggests that the main mechanisms are an increase in labor productivity in high-contact sectors and demand spillovers across sectors. By developing a general-equilibrium model and testing its predictions in the data, I show that these spillovers are driven by the input–output structure of production and changes in consumers’ earnings. To probe the external validity of these results, I study a change in vaccination policy in Canada. Together, these findings provide the first causal evidence that influenza vaccination yields sizable economic benefits, highlighting the importance of both direct and indirect channels.

Presented at: University College London (UCL), Yale University, EEA Congress 2025, Highland Health Economics Symposium (HHES), Simposio de la Asociación Española de Economía (SAEe), ENTER Jamboree, CINCH-dggö Academy in Health Economics

Abstract: Ban the Box (BTB) laws delay criminal background checks until the later stages of the hiring process. This study provides new evidence that BTB laws that apply to both private and public employers have negative spillover effects beyond labor market outcomes. Drawing on data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS), I investigate the impact of BTB laws on drug-related mortality. Two years after adoption, BTB laws are associated with more than a 35 percent increase in drug-related mortality among Black and Hispanic men. The main mechanism appears to be diminished labor opportunities. BTB adoption reduces wages and the probability of employment among Black and Hispanic men.

Abstract: To what extent does representation in mass media content influence gender-related perceptions of children and their later-life achievements? This study examines how childhood exposure to female-led superhero animated series shapes educational choices and gender stereotypes. We leverage two sources of variation: the signal coverage of the TV channel broadcasting these cartoons across areas in Ukraine in the early 2000s, and the duration of exposure to these cartoons during childhood. We find that girls who had access to cartoons with strong female leads have higher educational attainments. They are also more likely to pursue STEM subjects, and have more internal locus of control. Additionally, for both sexes, we have evidence of a decline in traditional gender stereotypes.

Presented at: Bristol Applied Economics Meeting (BAEM)

Abstract: This study investigates the potential of response times (RT) as a predictor of cognitive decline, leveraging previously untapped data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Recorded automatically during Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI), RTs offer a unique opportunity to study cognitive and decision-making processes without added respondent burden. We first validate RTs as meaningful predictors of cognitive decline, building on Sanders et al. (2025). Slower RTs – recorded automatically during standard cognitive modules – are strongly associated with lower baseline cognitive scores and greater subsequent decline, even after controlling for age, gender, and baseline cognition. RTs also predict deterioration across a range of health outcomes, including frailty, mental health, and mortality, underscoring their potential as early indicators of physiological aging. We then examine the predictive content of RTs for financial outcomes. Slower RTs are associated with subsequent wealth losses, above and beyond what is captured by standard cognitive measures and interviewer fixed effects. Replicating the findings of Mazzonna and Peracchi (2024) in a European context, we show that inоны who experience cognitive decline without being aware of it are particularly vulnerable to wealth decumulation. Importantly, RTs remain predictive of wealth losses even when cognitive decline and (un)awareness are accounted for, and they are strongly associated with being unaware of one’s own cognitive deterioration. This suggests that RTs can help identify individuals at risk of poor financial decision-making due to undiagnosed cognitive impairment. Finally, we document heterogeneity by gender, with stronger associations observed among male financial respondents. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that response times—routinely collected but often ignored—contain rich information about both cognitive and financial vulnerability at older ages.

Presented at: NBER Summer Institute 2025 Workshop on Aging