Do Minimum Wage Increases Influence Worker Health?

Brady Horn (), Johanna Maclean and Michael Strain

No 10479, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This study investigates whether minimum wage increases in the United States affect an important non-market outcome: worker health. To study this question, we use data on lesser-skilled workers from the 1993-2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Surveys coupled with differences-in-differences and triple-difference models. We find little evidence that minimum wage increases lead to improvements in overall worker health. In fact, we find some evidence that minimum wage increases may decrease some aspects of health, especially among unemployed male workers. We also find evidence that increases reduce mental strain among employed workers.

Keywords: differences-in-differences; self-reported health; minimum wage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I1 I11 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 36 pages
Date: 2017-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (61)

Published - published in: Economic Inquiry, 2017, 44 (4), 1986-2007

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Related works:
Journal Article: DO MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES INFLUENCE WORKER HEALTH? (2017)
Working Paper: Do minimum wage increases influence worker health? (2016)
Working Paper: Do Minimum Wage Increases Influence Worker Health? (2016)
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