Centre for Health Economics, Monash Business School, Monash University, Australia.
Department of Economics, City, University of London, UK.
J Health Econ. 2017 Jul;54:124-134. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2017.05.001. Epub 2017 May 17.
The relationship between health and work is frequently investigated using self-assessments of disability from social surveys. The complication is that respondents may overstate their level of disability to justify non-employment and welfare receipt. This study provides new evidence on the existence and magnitude of justification bias by exploiting a novel feature of a large longitudinal survey: each wave respondents are asked identical disability questions twice; near the beginning and end of the face-to-face interview. Prior to answering the second disability question, respondents are asked a series of questions that increase the salience of their employment and welfare circumstances. Justification bias is identified by comparing the variation between the two measures within-individuals over time, with the variation in employment status over time. Results indicate substantial and statistically significant justification bias; especially for men and women who receive disability pensions.
健康与工作之间的关系经常通过社会调查中的残疾自评来研究。问题是，被调查者可能夸大他们的残疾程度，以证明非就业和领取福利是合理的。本研究通过利用一个大型纵向调查的一个新特点，提供了关于这种证明合理性偏差存在性和程度的新证据：每一波调查者都会被要求两次回答相同的残疾问题；在面对面访谈的开始和结束时。在回答第二个残疾问题之前，被调查者会被问到一系列问题，这些问题会增加他们的就业和福利状况的显著性。通过比较个体随时间的两个衡量指标之间的变化与就业状况随时间的变化，可以确定证明合理性偏差。结果表明存在大量且具有统计学意义的证明合理性偏差；特别是对于领取残疾养恤金的男性和女性。
