Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

Chambers College of Business and Economics

Department

Economics

Committee Chair

Jane Ruseski

Committee Co-Chair

Daniel Grossman

Committee Member

Daniel Grossman

Committee Member

Brad Humphreys

Committee Member

Heather Stephens

Abstract

Chapter 1 analyzes the impact new hospital construction has on neighboring residential real estate prices. In 2017, the Oishei Children’s Hospital was built in downtown Buffalo, New York, representing a new era for women and children’s medical facilities. Individuals working at the old facility now faced the decision of whether to move closer to the new hospital or have a longer commute. Using property sales data, I analyze how Oishei impacts residential property prices with a difference-in-differences hedonic price model while utilizing three unique time treatments and two distance treatments. The opening of Oishei generated a statistically significant percentage increase in sale prices within a 1- and 2.5-mile radius, suggesting employees may be purchasing houses with shorter commutes.

Chapter 2, written with Dr. Heather Stephens, focuses on the expectation that retirees, especially those with higher incomes, relocate to locations that offer more medical facilities and urban and natural amenities. To test this hypothesis, we examine the impact of health care and amenity employment on the population changes of both working age and retirement age groups. Despite the common perception, it appears that working age people are moving in advance of retirement to places with nicer climate and other natural amenities as well as healthcare. After retirement, any additional migration appears to be driven primarily by places with more entertainment type amenities. This suggests that locations that want to attract retirees should focus on attracting middle-aged people well before they retire.

Chapter 3 uses the National Educational Longitudinal Survey (NELS:88), I analyze the impact risky adolescent behavior, previous sexual experiences, and opinions on sexual encounters have on early adulthood decisions to use birth control using a probit model framework. Risky adolescent behavior is known to be connected to heightened risky decisions during early adulthood. Females who smoke tend to follow medical advice and are likely to reduce birth control use; while those who use alcohol are more likely to increase use. Both males and females who engage in sexual activity later in adolescence have an increased probability to use birth control. These results support an argument for early sex education, which can provide necessary information for teens who are already engaging in sexual activity and risky behaviors.

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