No gain in pain: psychological well-being, participation, and wages in the BHPS

Eur J Health Econ. 2020 Dec;21(9):1375-1389. doi: 10.1007/s10198-020-01234-4. Epub 2020 Sep 22.

Abstract

Accounting for endogeneity, unobserved heterogeneity, and sample selection in an unified framework, we investigate the effect of psychological well-being on wages and labour market participation using a panel from the British Household Panel Survey. We find the effect of psychological well-being on labour market outcomes to differ across gender. In particular, psychological distress significantly reduces participation across genders, but, conditional on participation, has a significant negative effect on hourly wages only in the female sample.

Keywords: BHPS; Endogeneity; GHQ; Sample selection; Self-assessed mental health; Social support network.

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • National Health Programs* / economics
  • National Health Programs* / statistics & numerical data
  • Salaries and Fringe Benefits*
  • Sex Factors
  • Stress, Psychological / economics
  • United Kingdom