Mental Health Costs of Lockdowns: Evidence from Age-Specific Curfews in Turkey

66 Pages Posted: 16 Jan 2021 Last revised: 20 Feb 2021

See all articles by Onur Altindag

Onur Altindag

Bentley University; Economic Research Forum

Bilge Erten

Northeastern University; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Pinar Keskin

Wellesley College - Department of Economics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: November 6, 2020

Abstract

Using a strict, age-specific lockdown order for adults aged 65 and older in Turkey, we examine the mental health consequences of an extended period of tight mobility restrictions on senior adults. Adopting a regression discontinuity design, we find that the curfew-induced decline in mobility substantially worsened mental health outcomes, including somatic and nonsomatic symptoms of mental distress (ranging from 0.2 to 0.3 standard deviations). Exploring potential channels, we document an increase in social and physical isolation, with no evidence of robust changes in labor market outcomes or intrahousehold conflict for this subpopulation.

Keywords: COVID-19, lockdown, mobility, mental health, Turkey, senior population

JEL Classification: I18, I31, O15

Suggested Citation

Altindag, Onur and Erten, Bilge and Keskin, Pinar, Mental Health Costs of Lockdowns: Evidence from Age-Specific Curfews in Turkey (November 6, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3765838 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3765838

Onur Altindag (Contact Author)

Bentley University

175 Forest Street
Waltham, MA 02145
United States

Economic Research Forum ( email )

Cairo
Egypt

Bilge Erten

Northeastern University ( email )

220 B RP
Boston, MA 02115
United States

IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Pinar Keskin

Wellesley College - Department of Economics ( email )

106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02181
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
229
Abstract Views
1,487
Rank
216,515
PlumX Metrics