Research
Publications
Can Benefits from Malaria Eradication be Increased? Evidence from Costa Rica. Economic Development and Cultural Change, Vol. 66, No. 3, pp. 585-628, April 2018.
https://doi.org/10.1086/695880
Abstract. The estimated benefits of malaria eradication have been very different in terms of human capital accumulation. This paper quantifies the impact of malaria eradication in Costa Rica and explores whether pre-campaign regional characteristics can improve or damage the benefits of a health campaign. There are several results. First, using difference in differences I find that years of education of men and women increased in response to the eradication campaign but that only wages of males increased. Results are robust. Second, worse conditions in the school system and more child employment displaced schooling. Hence, health benefits may not translate into educational gains when the school system characteristics are bad or when the child labor market provides a better investment opportunity than schooling. Third, combining empirical evidence with a simple model, the increase in schooling cannot solely explain the increase in the income of men; however, health improvements explain most of the increase. Finally, the point estimates show that human capital gains were almost completely eliminated when a shortage of funding for eradication led to a resurgence of malaria; this emphasizes the fragility of the estimated benefits.
The effect of randomly providing Nutri-Score information on actual purchases in Colombia (with Jeremy Chi-Ying and Luisa Tovar) Nutrients, Vol. 11, No. 3, February 2019.
Abstract. Recently, front-of-package (FOP) food labeling systems have captured the attention of researchers and policy makers. Several Latin American governments are currently considering employing different FOP labeling systems. However, there is much need for more research-based evidence in these countries. In this paper, we study whether the immediate food-purchasing decision and the nutritional quality of the purchase are influenced by randomly informing some customers and not others about an FOP label known as Nutri-Score. We also separate the information effect from the effect of being aware of the system. We combined a randomized field intervention in a university cafeteria in Bogotá, Colombia with data from an after-purchase survey and receipts. We found that randomly providing information on Nutri-Score increased total expenditure by $0.18. Additional spending on healthier items was 21% or $0.26 higher, with no change for less healthy items. Expenditure estimates were higher among customers aware of the system’s existence. Treated customers were also 10% more likely to buy a healthier item than control customers were, and the concentration of protein of their purchases was greater. Information on the Nutri-Score system increased the store’s sales. This potential financial incentive may ease implementation of Nutri-Score.
Working Papers
Peer Effects in the Adoption of a Youth Employment Subsidy (with Tomás Rau) Revise and Resubmit.
Abstract. This paper studies peer effects in the adoption of a Youth Employment Subsidy in Chile since its inception. We study the effects that former classmates' and coworkers' adoption has on one's adoption. Identification comes from discontinuities in the assignment rule that allow us to construct valid instrumental variables for peers' adoption. Using a comprehensive set of administrative records, we .nd that classmates and, especially, coworkers play a significant role in the adoption of the subsidy. Peer effects are determined during the early stages of the program's implementation and vary by network characteristics and the strength of network ties.
Research Projects
The Impact of Primary Care on Mortality: Evidence from Costa Rica
Excel Spreadsheet and Stata do-file to standardize the borders of Costa Rican districts (distritos). Read-me file here.
Abstract. Despite being widely used, estimating the contribution of primary care in developing countries is challenging. This paper uses the implementation roll-out of the Costa Rican health reform to study the effect of increasing the availability of primary care. We find that, within five years, the reform reduced age-adjusted mortality rates, mostly among children and regions under a public-private partnership. One of the main channels is the reduction in the incidence of diseases related to pregnancy among children and diabetes among older adults.