The short-term impacts of COVID-19 on households in developing countries: An overview based on a harmonized dataset of high-frequency surveys.

We combine new data from high-frequency surveys with data on the stringency of containment measures to examine the short-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on households in developing countries. This paper is one of the first to document the impacts of COVID-19 on households across a large number of developing countries and to do so for a comparable time-period, corresponding to the peak of the pandemic-induced drop in human mobility, and the first to systematically analyze the cross- and within-country effects on employment, income, food security and learning. Using representative data from 31 countries, accounting for a combined population of almost 1.4 billion, we find that in the average country 36 percent of respondents stopped working in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, 65 percent of households reported decreases in income, and 30 percent of children were unable to continue learning during school closures. Pandemic-induced jobs and income losses translated into heightened food insecurity at the household level. The more stringent the virus containment measures, the higher the likelihood of jobs and income losses. The pandemic's effects were widespread and regressive, disproportionally affecting vulnerable segments of the population. Women, youth, and workers without higher education - groups disadvantaged in the labor market before the COVID-19 shock - were significantly more likely to lose their jobs and experience decreased incomes. Self-employed and casual workers - the most vulnerable workers in developing countries - bore the brunt of the pandemic-induced income losses. Interruptions in learning were most salient for children from lower-income countries, and within countries for children from lower-income households with lower-educated parents and in rural areas. The unequal impacts of the pandemic across socio-economic groups risk cementing inequality of opportunity and undermining social mobility and calls for policies to foster an inclusive recovery and strengthen resilience to future shocks.

Easing the pain of an economic downturn: macroeconomic conditions and excessive alcohol consumption.

Individuals can react to financial stress in a variety of ways, such as reducing discretionary spending or engaging in risky behaviors. This article investigates the effect of changing macroeconomic conditions (measured by the unemployment rate in the state of residence) on one type of risky behavior: excessive alcohol consumption. Using unique and recent panel data from waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) and estimating fixed-effects models, we find that changes in the unemployment rate are positively related to changes in binge drinking, alcohol-involved driving, and alcohol abuse and/or dependence. Some differences are present among demographic groups, primarily in the magnitude of the estimated effects. These results contradict previous studies and suggest that problematic drinking may be an indirect and unfortunate consequence of an economic downturn.

This recession is wearing me out! Health-related quality of life and economic downturns.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life refers to an individual's perceived physical and mental health and goes beyond the presence or absence of illnesses to encompass a multidimensional concept of well being. Previous research on the relationships between macroeconomic conditions and health status reveal improvements in physical health during economic downturns. However, few studies have examined whether mental health status improves or declines during tough economic times. AIMS: The main objective of this paper is to provide new evidence on the impact of macroeconomic conditions on Health-related quality of life (HRQL), or functional health, by analyzing the physical and mental health summary scores of the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). DATA: The analysis uses panel data from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) for individuals 18-59 years (in Wave 1), for a final sample of 26,313 individuals. The NESARC collected and reported data on the SF-12 health scores, including a physical health score (PCS) for overall physical functioning, and a mental health score (MCS) for mental/psychological functioning. To analyze the impact of economic downturns on HRQL, the study matches the NESARC variables with data on state-level macroeconomic conditions. METHODS: To estimate the effects of macroeconomic conditions on HRQL, this paper takes advantage of the longitudinal nature of the dataset and uses individual fixed-effect models to account for both individual and state-level heterogeneity. Although it is unlikely for individual omitted variables (e.g., individuals' preferences and attitudes) to be significantly correlated with the state unemployment rate, using longitudinal data allows for the estimation of a more fully specified model. RESULTS: Findings consistently indicate that an increase in the average state unemployment rate worsens an individual's HRQL, suggesting that the loss of jobs and income and/or the economic distress associated with economic downturns have a detrimental effect on people's daily lives. Although the magnitudes of the changes are generally small, results show that mental health decreases more than physical health during tough economic times. POLICY IMPLICATIONS: With the recent worldwide economic recession causing steep drops in the U.S. Gross Domestic Product along with double-digit unemployment rates, the implications of this study are disheartening. Besides macroeconomic policies to help stimulate the economy, government officials and policymakers should also consider social policies to help people cope with the recession and buffer the potential negative health impact, both mental and physical. Moreover, policymakers should keep in mind that the mental health effects might be greater and longer lasting.

Economic evaluation of telemedicine: review of the literature and research guidelines for benefit-cost analysis.

Telemedicine programs provide specialty health services to remote populations using telecommunications technology. This innovative approach to medical care delivery has been expanding for several years and currently covers various specialty areas such as cardiology, dermatology, and pediatrics. Economic evaluations of telemedicine, however, remain rare, and few of those conducted have accounted for the wide range of economic costs and benefits. Rigorous benefit-cost analyses of telemedicine programs could provide credible and comparative evidence of their economic viability and thus lead to the adoption and/or expansion of the most successful programs. To facilitate more advanced economic evaluations, this article presents research guidelines for conducting benefit-cost analyses of telemedicine programs, emphasizing opportunity cost estimation, commonly used program outcomes, and monetary conversion factors to translate outcomes to dollar values. The article concludes with specific recommendations for future research.