Measuring Health Outcomes of Uncovered Employment: A Study of Income, Social Mobility, Equality, and Health Indicators in an Under-looked Segment of the Labor Force

Authors

Zakariya Kmir, University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyFollow

Abstract

Economists have strongly supported the idea that unemployment causes many undesirable health outcomes. However, how does belonging to a different sector of employment tied closely to changes in minimum wage and inflation relate to overall health? To properly understand the numerical significance of health disparities in the uncovered sector of employment, this research is targeted at quantifying the relationship between the insured and non-insured within the uncovered sector. By substantiating the existence of severe health disparities as a function of the labor force dynamic, this research subsequently estimates the amount of inefficiency and negative health outcomes in the US economy and populace that can be attributed to minimum wage hikes, the single cause for uncovered employment. Several single regressions are conducted to understand the statistical significance of both health spending and life expectancy, and youth unemployment and overall unemployment. Youth unemployment is a function of employment, which is seen as a significant indicator of social mobility and policy demand for rises in the minimum wage. The data in this research comes mostly from the World Bank, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and individual US state censuses.

Recommended Citation

Kmir, Zakariya (2017) "Measuring Health Outcomes of Uncovered Employment: A Study of Income, Social Mobility, Equality, and Health Indicators in an Under-looked Segment of the Labor Force," Undergraduate Economic Review: Vol. 14: Iss. 1, Article 6.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/uer/vol14/iss1/6