Health in Citizen-State Interactions: How Physical and Mental Health Problems Shape Experiences of Administrative Burden and Reduce Take-Up

Public Administration Review (Forthcoming), Open access at https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13568

16 Pages Posted: 19 Dec 2022

See all articles by Elizabeth Bell

Elizabeth Bell

Florida State University - Department of Public Administration & Policy

Julian Christensen

VIVE – The Danish Center for Social Science Research

Pamela Herd

Georgetown University - McCourt School of Public Policy

Donald Moynihan

Georgetown University - McCourt School of Public Policy

Date Written: December 5, 2022

Abstract

Public services represent a key means by which societies seek to reduce inequalities. However, some people may experience administrative procedures as more burdensome than others, creating inequality within programs intended to be equity-enhancing. Prior work has found human capital (e.g., education and conditions like scarcity) to affect burden and take-up. We build on this by examining the role of health in the form of attention disorders, pain, anxiety, and depression in the context of tax reporting in Denmark and college financial aid in Oklahoma, USA. Across cases, attention disorders and pain are associated with more burdensome experiences and in the financial aid case, they are associated with reduced take-up as well. Individuals suffering from multiple health problems have the most negative experiences and lowest take-up. The results suggest that extra support may be needed for people suffering from health problems in order to reduce inequities in experiences and outcomes.

Keywords: Administrative burden, Take-up, Health, Inequity, ADHD, Pain, Depression, Anxiety, Citizen-state interactions, sludge

JEL Classification: I14, I18, I24, I28, I30, I38

Suggested Citation

Bell, Elizabeth and Christensen, Julian and Herd, Pamela and Moynihan, Donald, Health in Citizen-State Interactions: How Physical and Mental Health Problems Shape Experiences of Administrative Burden and Reduce Take-Up (December 5, 2022). Public Administration Review (Forthcoming), Open access at https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13568, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4293932

Elizabeth Bell

Florida State University - Department of Public Administration & Policy ( email )

Julian Christensen (Contact Author)

VIVE – The Danish Center for Social Science Research ( email )

Søren Frichs Vej 36G
Åbyhøj, 8230
Denmark

Pamela Herd

Georgetown University - McCourt School of Public Policy ( email )

Old North, Suite 100
37th & O Streets NW
Washington, DC 20057
United States

Donald Moynihan

Georgetown University - McCourt School of Public Policy

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