Journal of Economic and Social Measurement - Volume 43, issue 1-2

Authors: ten Cate, Arie

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper merges two isolated bodies of literature: the Markov chain model with macro data, formally described in detail by MacRae in 1977, and the Ecological inference model, the pitfalls of which were discussed by Robinson in 1950. Both are choice models. They have the same likelihood function and the same regression equation. Decades ago, this likelihood function was computationally demanding. This has led to the use of several approximate methods, in particular with the Ecological inference model. Due to the improvement in computer hardware and software since Macrae (1977), the exact maximum likelihood should now be the preferred …estimation method. Show more

Keywords: Aggregated data, macro data, Markov chain, Ecological inference, computing time

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-180452

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 43, no. 1-2, pp. 1-9, 2018

Authors: Couch, Kenneth A. | Yu, Peijingran

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This study examines demographic correlates of the onset of work limiting health conditions in the United States using retrospective histories from the 2004 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). Because the SIPP data are based on respondent recall, comparisons are first made to information from the 2004 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Reports of work limiting health in the SIPP and the NHIS correspond closely and little evidence of recall bias is found in the retrospective SIPP reports. Analysis of the SIPP data reveals that most onsets of work limiting health conditions occur for persons younger …than 16 or older than 46. However, onset age varies greatly by condition. Conditions like deafness, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disabilities tend to show up early in life while others like back problems and heart conditions usually arrive much later in life. Logistic regressions relating common demographic factors including age, gender, race, Hispanic origin, marital status and educational level to the onset of health limitations show that most measures are highly predictive. However, we find that some specific conditions, like cancer, the presence of tumors, and paralysis, appear to be primarily related to aging particularly among married individuals. Show more

Keywords: Aging, disabled persons and disabilities, measurement

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-180451

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 43, no. 1-2, pp. 11-57, 2018

Authors: Makridis, Christos | Dean, Benjamin

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: We introduce a new dataset that links publicly reported data breaches and financial outcomes at the firm-level. First, we document three new facts about the incidence of data breaches: (i) heavy skewness in the distribution of the scale of data breaches, (ii) heterogeneity in records breached by sector, and (iii) differences in records breached between publicly traded and private firms. Second, while we find some evidence, using cross-sectional variation and controlling for time-varying observable firm inputs, that a 10% rise in breaches is associated with approximately a 0.2% decline in firm productivity, the result is sensitive to different specifications and …datasets. Third, we show that the absence of more reliable estimates is driven by non-classical measurement error arising from sample selection problems in publicly reported breach data. We conclude by discussing the importance of developing reliable measurement approaches for answering policy questions in cyber security. Show more

Keywords: Cyber crime, data breaches, productivity, information securityJEL: D80, H40, L10, L86

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-180450

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 43, no. 1-2, pp. 59-83, 2018

Authors: Dalton, Michael | Fissel, Benjamin

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Economic data collection from commodities producers in the United States typically consists of revenues and quantities. While the data collected in some sectors such as fisheries are a census of the population, features of the population such as prices, must be calculated. Unit values are widely used as a price measure to impose a single price in place of dispersed ratios of revenue to quantity from individual producers but alternatives exist. In this paper, different linear aggregation procedures are used to calculate price measures, such as ratio-based calculations (e.g., ratio-of-means, mean-of-ratios), or estimation by ordinary least squares. There are non-trivial …differences in the prices calculated depending on the procedure. This paper proposes a unified framework, including Bayesian estimation, for considering the tradeoffs inherent in the different methods commonly employed. Show more

Keywords: Data collection, commodities, price dispersion, unit value, producer prices

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-180453

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 43, no. 1-2, pp. 85-104, 2018

Authors: Tamariz, Leonardo | Medina, Heidy | Suarez, Maritza | Seo, David | Palacio, Ana

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper considers the evidence documenting the linkage of EMRs and census when conducting clinical research. Our systematic review included 25 studies. They collected information on an average of 434,541 study participants and 72% of the studies focused on adult populations. The findings include that the most common diseases evaluated were obesity, cancer, and diabetes. The most commonly used census variables were location, income, and education. Twelve of the studies linked only the census and the EMR, while 13 studies linked the census, EMR, and additional research resources. This linkage was most prevalently used to describe a problem rather than …for quality improvement purposes. Efforts should be channeled to increase the use of the census for health disparities and social determinants of health. Show more

Keywords: Census, electronic medical record, social determinants of health, linking data, systematic review

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-180454

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 43, no. 1-2, pp. 105-118, 2018