Do minimum wages improve self-rated health? Evidence from a natural experiment

Hafner L, Lochner B (2021)


Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

URI: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00181-021-02114-3

DOI: 10.1007/s00181-021-02114-3

Open Access Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00181-021-02114-3

Abstract

We analyze whether the introduction of the general minimum wage in Germany in 2015 had an effect on workers’ self-rated health. To this end, we use survey data linked to administrative employment records and apply difference-in-differences regressions combined with propensity score matching. This approach enables us to control for a vast set of potential confounding variables. We find a health improving effect among the individuals who were most likely to be affected by the reform. Our results indicate that workers’ improved satisfaction with pay, their reduced working hours, and a reduction in time pressure at work may drive this result.

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How to cite

APA:

Hafner, L., & Lochner, B. (2021). Do minimum wages improve self-rated health? Evidence from a natural experiment. Empirical Economics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00181-021-02114-3

MLA:

Hafner, Lucas, and Benjamin Lochner. "Do minimum wages improve self-rated health? Evidence from a natural experiment." Empirical Economics (2021).

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