Our study estimates the crowd-out of private health insurance following SCHIP expansions for children. We use panel data from the 2001 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). We use multivariate regression models to the crowd-out of private health insurance. This difference-in-differences approach controls for other factors that affect both the control group and treatment group, and measures the extent of crowd-out private coverage in the treatment group relative to the control group. We find that nearly 26 percent of the transitions from private coverage into SCHIP coverage were made by children who would have had private coverage in the absence of the expansions. This paper provides evidence that the SCHIP expansions have overall displacement effect of 52.9 percent for private coverage for those children who had private coverage or were uninsured from the first interview in 2001. This dissertation provides empirical evidence on the impact of SCHIP on single mothers¡¯ working decisions using recent CPS (Current Population Survey) data during 1999-2005. The empirical work requires a measure of the change in eligibility requirements; we compute a measure suggested by Yelowitz (1995). The major findings of this paper are: first, SCHIP expansions are found to have a significant positive impact on hours-worked decision; second, most models yielded results that indicated that SCHIP expansions have a generally insignificant impact on the decision to work.

In this dissertation research, the empirical analyses are developed to investigate the role of different factors on female's fertility decisions as well as female labor force participation. This research contains two major parts related to women: first, the impact of State Children Health Insurance (SCHIP) on female's fertility decision is examined. In 1997, Congress enacted the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to provide matching funds to states to provide health insurance for children who do not qualify for Medicaid. The implementation of SCHIP, however, differs across states. For example, some states provide SCHIP benefits to parents while others do not. Controlling for state and female characteristics, are women in states with more generous SCHIP benefits more likely to have children than are women in states with less generous benefits? After classifying state benefits as "generous" or "not generous" under different criteria, I do not find support that the type of SCHIP matters for future pregnancy decisions. Moreover, the association between pregnancy decisions and SCHIP do not change across ethnic groups, income levels, marital status, etc. Second, using a cross-sectional empirical specification, I examine whether female labor force participation (FLFP) in a cross-section of countries between 1985 and 2005 varies depending upon the religion practiced in these countries. I initially find that FLFP is lower in Muslim countries. However, the association between Islam and FLFP greatly diminishes once other controls are included in the regression, suggesting that Islam might not diminish FLFP as some have argued. Moreover, once these additional controls are included, the association between Islam and FLFP is similar to that between Catholicism and FLFP. Countries where Protestantism is prevalent or where no religion is practiced have higher FLFP. Besides, focusing on FLFP and using a panel data from 1980 to 2005, this study examines whether democratization is associated with subsequent labor force participation rates for women. I consider a panel to exploit the within country variation in political regimes and to employ country fixed effects that can control for cultural factors that influence both women's rights and political outcomes. We find a negative association between democratization (as measured by the Freedom House indices) and FLFP. Democratization appears to lower FLFP. Part of this finding stems from the decline in FLFP in former Communist countries. But the fall of Communism is not a complete explanation. Perhaps authoritarian regimes more generally pushed more people into the labor force to maintain higher output levels even when this was not optimal for individual households.

No description available.

SCHIP-1 est une protéine cytoplasmique enrichie aux nœuds de Ranvier et aux segments initiaux des axones matures, où elle est associée à l’ankyrine G. SCHIP-1 est également exprimée dans le système nerveux central pendant le développement embryonnaire. Nous montrons ici que les souris mutées pour Schip1 présentent des anomalies morphologiques de la commissure antérieure formée par les axones du cortex piriforme, du noyau olfactif antérieur et de l’amygdale. Ces anomalies résultent de défauts de croissance et de guidage axonal in vivo au cours du développement. Les neurones du cortex piriforme d’embryons mutés présentent un retard d’initiation et de croissance axonales, et des anomalies de guidage axonal in vitro. Des expériences de vidéomicroscopie montrent que SCHIP-1 régule la réponse des cônes de croissance à la molécule de guidage EphB2, importante pour le développement de la commissure antérieure. Les souris mutées présentent en outre une diminution de l’épaisseur du cortex piriforme qui affecte spécifiquement les couches de neurones de projection. Cette diminution résulterait d’une augmentation de la mort cellulaire et non d’un défaut de génération ou de migration des neurones. De manière intéressante, ces anomalies morphologiques sont associées à des comportements anormaux qui pourraient reposer sur des défauts d’intégration des odeurs. Le cortex piriforme joue un rôle-clé dans la discrimination, l’association et l’apprentissage des odeurs. Les souris mutées pour Schip1 semblent donc être un modèle prometteur pour étudier la fonction du cortex piriforme ainsi que celle de la commissure antérieure, peu connues à ce jour. / SCHIP-1 is a cytoplasmic component of nodes of Ranvier and axon initial segments of mature axons, where it associates with ankyrinG. SCHIP-1 is also expressed in the CNS during mouse early embryonic stages. Here we report that Schip1 mutant mice display morphological abnormalities of the anterior commissure, which is composed of axons from piriform cortex, anterior olfactory nucleus, and amygdala. These abnormalities are due to impaired axon elongation and navigation in vivo during development. Piriform cortex neurons display axon initiation/outgrowth delay and guidance defects in vitro. Time-lapse imaging indicates that SCHIP-1 regulates the response of growth cones to EphB2, a guidance cue important for anterior commissure development. Besides, mutant mice display a reduced thickness of the piriform cortex, which affects projection neuron layers, and is likely to result from cell death rather than from impairment of pyramidal neuron generation or migration. Interestingly these morphological defects are associated with abnormal behavior related to defects in odor processing. The piriform cortex is thought to play a key role in odor discrimination, association and learning. Thus Schip1 mutant mice appear to be an interesting model to further characterize piriform cortex as well as anterior commissure functions, which are yet poorly known.

No description available.

Building on the conceptual lens of Hero and Tolbert (1999), this study examines differences between policy restrictiveness in states with high minority populations and states with low minority populations for three policies areas: felony voting policies, Unemployment Insurance (UI) and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). This study examines whether states with minority populations greater than the national average have public policies that are more restrictive than states with minority populations at or below their national average and the patterns that emerged. Overall, I found higher levels of restrictive policies for states with high minority populations in the instances of felony voting policies and the Unemployment Insurance program. The findings imply a need for accountability and uniformity from the state to improve the outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities. / Ph. D.

Oral caries is the most prevalent chronic disease among US children, and disproportionately impacts those of low socioeconomic status. Studies have shown that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) improves access to dental care among Medicaid children. This study investigated the impact of WIC, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) on the prevalence of dental caries among low-income children. The 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 NHANES data were utilized for this analysis. Children 2-4 years old who participated in WIC, Medicaid, or SCHIP, or who were uninsured, and for whom both interview and complete oral health exam data were available (n = 597) were included in the study. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was conducted to examine the effects of program participation on caries. There was no statistically significant association between dental caries and participation in public assistance programs. The risk of dental caries for children in MedicaidSCHIP only was comparable to the risk for children in WIC and MedicaidSCHIP (OR = 1.04; 95%CI = 0.622, 1.745) and also to uninsured children (OR = 0.96; 95%CI = 0.523, 1.773). Dental caries were not impacted if the child did not have a preventive dental visit in the past 6 months (OR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.436, 1.063) or did not have a regular dental care provider (OR = 1.15; 95% CI = 0.646, 2.044). Participation in WIC and MedicaidSCHIP does not improve the oral health of low-income children. Because this population is a high-risk group requiring more specialized efforts, improving access to care is not sufficient to improve oral health. In addition to increased utilization of services, the program partnership between WIC and MedicaidSCHIP must provide targeted, educational interventions to prevent dental caries. It may also be necessary to increase the recommended number of preventive visits for low-income children.