Journal of Economic and Social Measurement - Volume 28, issue 3

Authors: Hwang, Jang C.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper introduces a method for performing large-scale studies of forms and rates of economic and physical depreciation by type of assets in Canadian industries. A fractional function representation for the form of economic depreciation is introduced where the numerator …represents the form of economic depreciation without adjustment, and the denominator represents the form of either the gross or the net physical depreciation. This representation provides a clear picture of the relationship in both form and rate between economic and physical depreciation. The forms of economic and physical depreciation (except the gross physical depreciation) are all convex, while the exceptional one is concave. This is one of the research papers studied at Statistics Canada in the evolving search for a better methodology for estimating depreciation patterns. Based on the findings of this paper, with more survey data available, and following a more conventional approach, a project is currently underway at Statistics Canada. Gross physical depreciation will be considered as one of the adjustment factors for the price-age-date profile. Show more

Keywords: age-date price matrix, gross and net quantity matrices, forms of economic and physical depreciation, fractional form of economic depreciation, properties of the forms and rates between economic and physical depreciation, Beta-decay model, comparison between estimated rates of economic depreciation and tax rates

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-2003-0206

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 89-108, 2003

Authors: Dwyer, Debra | Hu, Jianting | Vaughan, Denton R. | Wixon, Bernard

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: We develop methodology to identify medical eligibility for Social Security's Disability programs using publicly available data. Using a structural model of Social Security's disability determination process estimated on a sample of applicants, we make out-of-sample predictions of medical eligibility for …non-beneficiaries in the general population aged 18–64. This methodology defines an observable, publicly-available indicator of disability consistent with Social Security's definition. This would be useful in a wide number of applications and may be of particular interest to empirical labor economists. We find that 2.9% of this population were medically eligible but not receiving disability benefits early in 1992. Our methodology permits use of publicly available survey data to analyze medical criteria that determine who receives disability benefits. We consider effects of sample selection adjustments, sample restrictions, and several methods of estimating eligibility from continuous probabilities. Our preferred measure outperforms the conventional single variable model based on the "prevented" measure. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-2003-0207

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 109-142, 2003

Authors: O'Hara, Brett | Popoff, Carole

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Synthetic methods using age, race, sex and Hispanic origin (ARSH) arrays specific to regions have been used in combination with survey data to produce inexpensive estimates of health insurance coverage for different geographic regions. Because health insurance status is typically …derived from survey data, a synthetic approach is unreliable when a region has few persons in sample with certain ARSH characteristics. For instance, a region with few persons of Hispanic origin and sparse survey coverage will produce less reliable estimates for that population subgroup. This article focuses on a hybrid model of synthetic estimation and hierarchical modeling. Hierarchical modeling can minimize the unexplained differences between regions making it possible to increase the reliability of the health insurance status estimates. Information on health insurance status and age, race, sex and Hispanic origin comes from the Survey of Income and Program Participation. State-level variables that influence the State's average health insurance rate were gathered from multiple sources. Show more

Keywords: health insurance, small area estimates, hierarchical modeling

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-2003-0208

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 143-159, 2003

Authors: Yankow, Jeffrey J.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This study demonstrates that migration measures predicated on cross-boundary movement introduce significant misclassification error into both migrant and non-migrant samples. The former is shown to occur when across-boundary moves cover only relatively short distances, while the later results from long …distance residential movement occurring within the boundary. Using a unique sample of geocoded data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, I find that over half of all intercounty moves and one-third of all interstate moves cover distances of less than fifty miles. In contrast, more than half of all within-state moves (of at least ten miles) cover distances of more than fifty miles while over thirty-five percent cover at least one hundred miles. Estimation results from a standard discrete-choice model of migration propensity are shown to be highly sensitive to distance suggesting that inferences based on a particular migration definition will often not generalize across alternative measures. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-2003-0210

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 161-175, 2003