Figure 1 Source: Mapland; MSA Metropolitan Statistical Areas Sources of the data There are 13 different variables present in the dataset. The variables are divided in five different groups. Table 1 gives an overview of the variables used in this research. 1 Group Variables Description Variable of interest Unemployment rate Per MSA. The influence of unemployment on the different health variables is studied. When generating the regressions, the coefficient of the unemployment is the main interested effect. Control variables Age per Per MSA. The variables will control for Gender differences in age and gender between the MSAs. Health behaviors Overweight Per MSA. The variables will be directly Exercise affected by the change in unemployment Alcohol Tobacco Health outcomes MI Per MSA. The variables are directly Self-assessed health affected by the change in unemployment but also indirectly through the health behaviors. Fair and poor Fair and poor Both on state and national level for the health health Canada USA and Canada. The variables are used Fair and poor for the difference-in-differences analysis. health USA The unemployment rates per MSA are provided by The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It is the principal Federal agency that is responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions and price changes in the economy of the USA. Its mission is to collect, analyze and spread essential economic information to ensure that public and private decision-making is possible in a rapidly changing country and global economy. They provide information that is objective, timely, accurate
Figure 1 Source: Mapland; MSA Metropolitan Statistical Areas Sources of the data There are 13 different variables present in the dataset. The variables are divided in five different groups. Table 1 gives an overview of the variables used in this research. 1 Group Variables Description Variable of interest Unemployment rate Per MSA. The influence of unemployment on the different health variables is studied. When generating the regressions, the coefficient of the unemployment is the main interested effect. Control variables Age per Gender Per MSA. The variables will control for differences in age and gender between the MSAs. Health behaviors Overweight Exercise Alcohol Tobacco Per MSA. The variables will be directly affected by the change in unemployment Health outcomes MI Self-assessed health Per MSA. The variables are directly affected by the change in unemployment but also indirectly through the health behaviors. Fair and poor health Fair and poor health Canada Fair and poor health USA Both on state and national level for the USA and Canada. The variables are used for the difference-in-differences analysis. The unemployment rates per MSA are provided by The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It is the principal Federal agency that is responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions and price changes in the economy of the USA. Its mission is to collect, analyze and spread essential economic information to ensure that public and private decision-making is possible in a rapidly changing country and global economy. They provide information that is objective, timely, accurate
BA-Thesis-Tara-Ramlal-367345.docx