The research paper, “Clear as a Bell? Policy Stringency and Elderly Health during Covid-19” by Thomas Barnay, Visiting Professor of Economics at Northeastern University, along with co-authors Jules Dupuy and Eric Defebvre has been published in the April issue of Social Science & Medicine.
The paper delves into the intricate relationship between Covid-19 restriction policies and the self-assessed health (SAH) of elderly individuals in Europe. By analyzing data from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and employing sophisticated econometric models, the study reveals a bell-curve association between policy stringency and SAH degradation, shedding light on the complex interplay between public health policies and individual well-being during the pandemic. This research offers valuable insights into health policy formulation and optimization, contributing significantly to our understanding of the impact of pandemic responses on vulnerable populations.
