Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
6-2016
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Program
Economics
Advisor
Michael Grossman
Committee Members
Michael Grossman
David A. Jaeger
Theodore J. Joyce
Subject Categories
Economics | Health Economics | Public Economics
Keywords
Economics of Crime, Recidivism, Health Economics, Infant Health, Alcohol Consumption, Post-and-Hold Laws
Abstract
As Forrest Gump has ever eloquently pointed out: stupid is as stupid does. It turns out that most people engage in behavior that could reasonably be considered stupid, or at least risky. People overeat, chain-smoke cigarettes, drink excessively, consume harmful drugs, and drive too fast; if worst comes to worst they do some of these things simultaneously. This work evaluates three policy measures that are designed to promote health and less risky behavior: I evaluate the effects of penalties for speeding transgressions on future driving behavior, the effects of low emission zones on infant health and air pollution, and the effects of post-and-hold laws on alcohol consumption.
Recommended Citation
Gehrsitz, Markus, "Essays on the Economics of Health and Risky Behavior" (2016). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/1313