Happiness: a Policy Perspective
| dc.contributor.advisor | Stuart, Elizabeth A. | en_US |
| dc.contributor.author | Esperato-Martinez, Alexo | en_US |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Anderson, Gerard F. | en_US |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Steinwachs, Donald M. | en_US |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Lazo, Mariana | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2015-09-16T03:35:46Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2015-09-16T03:35:46Z | |
| dc.date.created | 2014-05 | en_US |
| dc.date.issued | 2014-02-24 | en_US |
| dc.date.submitted | May 2014 | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | Objectives: this thesis examines the relationship between government policy and life satisfaction (happiness). This is accomplished through three related aims: a) to determine whether subjective or objective health are related to happiness for people above age 60; b) to ascertain whether health during childhood affects happiness after age 60, and c) to evaluate the impact of a senior citizen program (Golden Citizen) on happiness. Methods: econometric analysis of a nationally representative population over age 60 in Costa Rica (n=2,827). The availability of two datapoints permits the use of various econometric techniques. The first two aims rely on cross-sectional and lagged models (first differences, lagged dependent variable models and change-scores). The last aim relies mainly on quasi-experimental techniques, including instrumental variable, regression discontinuity, and differences-in-differences. Additional sensitivity analyses are provided for each of these aims. Results: a) subjective health predominates over objective health in predicting happiness in people over 60; b)early life health is related with happiness after age 60, but only in its subjective variant; c) the Golden Citizen program has consistent effects on poverty, inconsistent effects on healthcare access, but no effect on happiness. Conclusions: subjective health predominates over objective health in predicting happiness. This is true for both child and adult health measures. Policy-makers should focus on subjective health predictors (depression, pain and others) if health policy is going to truly impact happiness. Given its importance to most individuals, happiness should be an explicit outcome in impact evaluations. The development of a valid happiness measure is crucial to future research. Thesis readers: Gerard Anderson, Donald Steinwachs, Elizabeth Stuart (Chair, estuart@jhsph.edu), and Mariana Lazo. | en_US |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://jhir.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/37890 | |
| dc.language | en | |
| dc.publisher | Johns Hopkins University | |
| dc.subject | Life satisfaction, policy | en_US |
| dc.title | Happiness: a Policy Perspective | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
| dc.type.material | text | en_US |
| local.embargo.lift | 2015-05-01 | en_US |
| local.embargo.terms | 2015-05-01 | en_US |
| thesis.degree.department | Health Policy and Management | en_US |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Public Health Studies | en_US |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Johns Hopkins University | en_US |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Bloomberg School of Public Health | en_US |
| thesis.degree.level | Doctoral | en_US |
| thesis.degree.name | Ph.D. | en_US |
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