Welcome back to the Virtual Australian Health & Human Capital Economics Seminar Series, which goes into its second year. This event is organised by A/Professor Victoria Baranov (UMelb), Dr Sarah Walker (UNSW), Professor Stefanie Schurer (USyd), Dr Rebecca McKibbin (USyd), Professor Adeline Delavande (UTS), and Professor Brenda Gannon (UQ).

The seminar series is open to the public. Sign up HERE for mailing list.

Career Effects of Mental Health

Presented by

Barbara Biasi

(Yale University)

Wednesday 4 May 2022

4.00pm – 5.00pm

Zoom Link: https://utsmeet.zoom.us/j/82993811657

Abstract: How large are the economic effects of innovations in treating mental health conditions? We study this question in the context of a major change in the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD), after the approval of lithium in 1976. Using individual-level data on diagnoses and earnings, we estimate the effects of access to lithium as the difference in the labor market penalties of BD between cohorts who had access to improved treatments at different stages of life, controlling for family fixed effects. We find that people with BD who gained access to treatment at age 10 earned 42 percent more compared with people with BD with access at age 20; they were also 94 less likely to have zero earnings. People from low-income families benefit most from innovations in treatment. Benchmark comparisons with earnings penalties for depression and schizophrenia, indicate large potential gains from comparable advances for other mental health disorders.

For further information regarding this seminar and Virtual Australian Health & Human Capital Economics Seminar Series, please contact Professor Stefanie Schurer (stefanie.schurer@sydney.edu.au)