The causal effects of fertility are a central focus in the social sciences, but the analysis is challenged by the endogeneity of fertility choices. Earlier work has proposed several "natural experiments" from twin births or gender composition of earlier births to assess whether having more...

This paper is based on my thesis from the year 2008. It uses the German Microcensus (MC) to study the effects of continuing vocational training (CVT) on employment, the risk of unemployment, and wages. To control for education, profession and heterogeneity in the sectors and industrial branches...

This paper analyzes the direct and indirect impacts of Brazil's Family Health Program. We estimate the effects of the program on mortality and on household behavior related to child labor and schooling, employment of adults, and fertility. We find consistent effects of the program on reductions...

In allen OECD-Ländern sind die Geburtenraten in den letzten vierzig Jahren erheblich gesunken. Trotz dieses gemeinsamen Trends kann aber sowohl in der zeitlichen Entwicklung als auch im aktuellen Stand des Geburtenverhaltens eine erhebliche Heterogenität beobachtet werden. Deutschland, Spanien...

We analyze the impact of short-run economic fluctuations on age-specific mortality using Bayesian time series econometrics and contribute to the debate on the procyclicality of mortality. For the first time, we examine the differing consequences of economic changes for all individual age...

This paper is based on my thesis from the year 2008. It uses the German Microcensus (MC) to study the effects of continuing vocational training (CVT) on employment, the risk of unemployment, and wages. To control for education, profession and heterogeneity in the sectors and industrial branches...

Over the period 19952006 the Spanish economy experienced a rapid increase in employment and output growth, a surge in investment over GDP, a substantial deterioration in the current account balance and an improvement in the finances of the social security system. This paper presents a dynamic...

This paper analyzes the direct and indirect impacts of Brazil's Family Health Program. We estimate the effects of the program on mortality and on household behavior related to child labor and schooling, employment of adults, and fertility. We find consistent effects of the program on reductions...

The demographic dividend that contributed substantially to economic growth in developing Asia in the past is dissipating. Population aging affects growth through savings, capital accumulation, labor force participation, and total factor productivity. We examined the impact of aging on those four...

I investigate the contribution of pharmaceutical innovation to recent longevity growth in Germany and France. First, I examine the effect of the vintage of prescription drugs (and other variables) on the life expectancy and age-adjusted mortality rates of residents of Germany, using...