Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/223775 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 13333
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Disease spread is in part a function of individual behavior. We examine the factors predicting individual behavior during the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States using novel data collected by Belot et al. (2020). Among other factors, we show that people with lower income, less flexible work arrangements (e.g., an inability to tele-work) and lack of outside space at home are less likely to engage in behaviors, such as social distancing, that limit the spread of disease. We also find evidence that region, gender and beliefs predict behavior. Broadly, our findings align with typical relationships between health and socio-economic status. Moreover, they suggest that the burden of measures designed to stem the pandemic are unevenly distributed across socio-demographic groups in ways that affect behavior and thus potentially the spread of illness. Policies that assume otherwise are unlikely to be effective or sustainable.
Subjects: 
COVID-19
health
income
behavior
JEL: 
I10
I14
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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