In Sickness and in Health: Job Displacement and Health Spillovers in Couples

65 Pages Posted: 1 Mar 2021

See all articles by Christina Gathmann

Christina Gathmann

Luxembourg Institute for Socio-Economic Research; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); IZA Institute of Labor Economics; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Kristiina Huttunen

Aalto University - Department of Economics

Laura Jernström

University of Helsinki

Lauri Sääksvuori

University of Turku

Robin Stitzing

Compass Lexecon

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: February 2021

Abstract

Using administrative labor market data matched to mortality and patient records, we document that male job displacement increases mortality for both men and his partner. For every 10,000 displaced men, there are 110 additional deaths. Of those, 60% accrue to the displaced worker but 40% are due to excess spousal mortality. We further document a stunning gender asymmetry: while male job displacement generates persistent health effects, no such dire consequences are observed after a woman's job loss. We explore four explanations for this pattern: risk sharing through spousal labor supply; earnings losses and public insurance; widowhood; and family structure.

Suggested Citation

Gathmann, Christina and Huttunen, Kristiina and Jernström, Laura and Sääksvuori, Lauri and Stitzing, Robin, In Sickness and in Health: Job Displacement and Health Spillovers in Couples (February 2021). CEPR Discussion Paper No. DP15856, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3795252

Christina Gathmann (Contact Author)

Luxembourg Institute for Socio-Economic Research ( email )

11, Porte des Sciences
Campus Belval – Maison des Sciences Humaines
Esch-sur-Alzette, L-4366
Luxembourg

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) ( email )

London
United Kingdom

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

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

HOME PAGE: http://www.iza.org/index_html?lang=en&mainframe=http%3A//www.iza.org/en/webcontent/personnel/photos%

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute) ( email )

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://www.stanford.edu/~cgathman

Kristiina Huttunen

Aalto University - Department of Economics ( email )

PO Box 1210
FI-00101 Helsinki
Finland

Laura Jernström

University of Helsinki

University of Helsinki
Helsinki, FIN-00014
Finland

Lauri Sääksvuori

University of Turku

Turku, 20014
Finland

Robin Stitzing

Compass Lexecon

Unioninkatu 30
Helsinki, 00100
Finland

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