In this paper, a control function approach is developed to deal with endogeneity issue in estimating panel data models with ordered response. This methodology is characterized by a two-step procedure, requiring only standard regression to be implemented in each step. To demonstrate the...

The perception of the health sector from an economic policy point of view is changing. In the past, health expenditure was mostly seen as a "cost" item, probably because many medical treatments are covered by public health insurance. However, policymakers are increasingly realizing that a...

We propose a Bayesian factor analysis model to rank the health of localities. Mortality and morbidity variables empirically contribute to the resulting rank, and population and spatial correlation are incorporated into a measure of uncertainty. We use county-level data from Texas and Wisconsin...

This study examines the relationship between behavior during pregnancy, birth outcomes and early childhood development. Specifically, in the context of four measures of maternal behavior during pregnancy (maternal smoking, drinking, prenatal care, and maternal weight gain), three measures of...