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The Economics of Grief

Author

Listed:
  • van den Berg, Gerard J.

    (University of Groningen)

  • Lundborg, Petter

    (Lund University)

  • Vikström, Johan

    (IFAU)

Abstract

We study the short-run and long-run economic impact of one of the largest losses that an individual can face; the death of a child. We utilize unique merged registers on the entire Swedish population, combining information on the date and cause of death with parents' labor market outcomes, health outcomes, marital status, and subsequent fertility. We exploit the longitudinal dimension of the data and deal with a range of selection issues. We distinguish between effects on labor and various non-labor income components and we consider patterns over time. We find that labor market effects are persistent.

Suggested Citation

  • van den Berg, Gerard J. & Lundborg, Petter & Vikström, Johan, 2012. "The Economics of Grief," IZA Discussion Papers 7010, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp7010
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Elwert, F. & Christakis, N.A., 2008. "The effect of widowhood on mortality by the causes of death of both spouses," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(11), pages 2092-2098.
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    3. Angrist, Joshua D & Evans, William N, 1998. "Children and Their Parents' Labor Supply: Evidence from Exogenous Variation in Family Size," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(3), pages 450-477, June.
    4. van den Berg, Gerard J. & Lindeboom, Maarten & Portrait, France, 2011. "Conjugal bereavement effects on health and mortality at advanced ages," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 774-794, July.
    5. Bowling, Ann, 1987. "Mortality after bereavement: A review of the literature on survival periods and factors affecting survival," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 117-124, January.
    6. James Heckman & Hidehiko Ichimura & Jeffrey Smith & Petra Todd, 1998. "Characterizing Selection Bias Using Experimental Data," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 66(5), pages 1017-1098, September.
    7. Najman, Jake M. & Vance, John C. & Boyle, Fran & Embleton, Gary & Foster, Bill & Thearle, John, 1993. "The impact of a child death on marital adjustment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 37(8), pages 1005-1010, October.
    8. Julian P. Cristia, 2008. "The Effect of a First Child on Female Labor Supply: Evidence from Women Seeking Fertility Services," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 43(3), pages 487-510.
    9. Jorge M. Aguero & Mindy S. Marks, 2008. "Motherhood and Female Labor Force Participation: Evidence from Infertility Shocks," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(2), pages 500-504, May.
    10. Alberto Abadie & Guido W. Imbens, 2006. "Large Sample Properties of Matching Estimators for Average Treatment Effects," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 74(1), pages 235-267, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. The economics of bereavement
      by Chris Sampson in The Academic Health Economists' Blog on 2013-06-20 10:59:52

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    Cited by:

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    5. Terhi Maczulskij & Petri Böckerman, 2019. "Harsh times: do stressors lead to labor market losses?," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 20(3), pages 357-373, April.
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    8. Mertz, Mikkel & Mitchell, Livvy & Skov, Peer Ebbesen, 2023. "Parents’ earnings response to youth suicide: Evidence from New Zealand administrative records," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    9. Kung, Claryn S.J., 2020. "Health in widowhood: The roles of social capital and economic resources," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    sickness absenteeism; depression; child mortality; labor supply; bereavement; employment; marriage; death; divorce; mental health; fertility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • C41 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Duration Analysis; Optimal Timing Strategies

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