Field of Research
Development Economics, Health economics
Research Topic
Development Economics, Health economics
Overview of Research
My research interest lies in development economics and health economics. One of my projects focuses on the correlation between religion and the Ebola infection rate in Western Africa. The results reveal that after controlling for other socioeconomics status, religious beliefs are positively correlated with the Ebola infection rate. I also evaluate how religion affects women’s reproductive health by studying the gold mining industry in Nigeria. I use geo-referenced Demographic and Health Survey data and geo-location data of gold mines to measure women’s residential proximity to mining sites (Figure 1) and estimate the causal effects of mining on health. The results reveal that living near gold mines increases Muslim women’s (i.e., the treated group) probability of infecundity or premature menopause as compared to Christian women (i.e., the untreated group). The fact that Muslim women are more likely to work with lead-poisoned gold mines in family compounds might be the main mechanism for these conditions.
Besides, I have a joint project, which investigates the effects of a sanitation project, the Toilet Revolution, which was launched in the 1990s in rural China. We find that although the improved sanitary facility does not affect the health condition, it increases work time. The mechanism underlying the findings is the reallocation of time. Sanitary toilet significantly decreases chores like cleaning the house and raising livestock and poultry, allowing people to reallocate their time to market work. Furthermore, this channel is salient for women and leads to a significant increase in their work time. Based on the significant increase in work time, we consider the absence of observed health effects as being the potential result of health benefits from improved sanitation and health costs of additional labor canceling each other out.
WANG, Dongqin
Assistant Professor
Degree:Ph.D. in International Public Policy (Osaka University)
d-wang@osipp.osaka-u.ac.jp
