This dissertation addresses two important issues in the literature estimating the Value of a Statistical Life. The first issue is the potential endogeneity bias in cross-section hedonic wage models. The second issue is the transferability of the VSL between different policy contexts. To address the first issue, we estimate cross-section and panel hedonic wage models to identify the bias due to the time-invariant worker heterogeneity. We also consider potential endogeneity bias due to measurement error associated with risk variable, time-variant worker heterogeneity and simultaneity between wage and risk in panel models. We obtain labor market data from the 1996 Survey of Income and Program Participation panel, and occupational fatal risk data from Scotton (2000). We find that the cross-section hedonic wage model is significantly biased upward due to unobserved time-invariant worker heterogeneity, but not from time-variant worker heterogeneity or simultaneity between wage and risk. Our results are sensitive to the inclusion of industry variables, but not sensitive to the sample of workers used in estimation. To address the second issue, we examine whether or not workers and firms differentiate heterogeneous risks to determine the risk-wage compensation levels. We focus on two very different fatal risks in terms of the degree of workers’ control over the risk and the degree of dread associated with risk: violent assaults and risks related to non-violent events. We use occupational drivers to mitigate potential unobserved heterogeneity of job characteristics and measurement error associated with risk variables. The labor market data comes from the basic CPS, and the occupation-geographic specific risk rates for each cause of death are created from the non-public Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. We find that occupational drivers require larger compensation to accept a marginal increase of violent risk as compared to non-violent risk. This is true for both fatal and non-fatal risks. Our results are quite robust. This study suggests that current direct use of VSL obtained from hedonic wage studies in benefit estimation of various governmental programs should be reconsidered.

This research contributes to improved risk analysis of performance measure forecasts in road safety engineering by designing and applying a method to characterize uncertainty associated with forecast input data in cases where input uncertainty is not known. The research applies this method to quantify uncertainty in three categories of inputs used in risk analysis of performance measure forecasts in road safety engineering: (1) estimates of pedestrian exposure to collision risk; (2) estimates of vehicular exposure to collision risk; and (3) estimates of engineering economics parameters that assign valuations to mortality risk reductions based on individual willingness to pay. The common methods used in each of these categories are repeated comparisons of input ground truth to input estimations, the use of simulation approaches (e.g. the simulation of short-term counts by sampling permanent count data), and the use of non-parametric techniques to characterize input uncertainty. Some highlights of quantified input uncertainty levels include: (1) when obtaining pedestrian risk exposure estimates at a site in Winnipeg, MB by expanding two-hour short-term counts using the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project method, 90% of errors are between 62% and 170%; (2) when obtaining estimates of vehicle exposure to collision risk by expanding two 48-hour counts using the individual permanent counter method for Manitoba highways, 92 % of errors are between 9.5% and 10.8%; and (3) when applying an income-disaggregated transfer function to estimate value of a statistical life for road safety in developing countries, 90% of errors are between 53% and 54%. The results provide further detail on the structure of these input uncertainties. Analytic and computational capabilities in forecasting and risk analysis have advanced beyond our understanding of corresponding input uncertainty levels; this research closes some of this gap and enables better risk analysis of performance measure forecasts in road safety engineering.

xii, 150 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Environmental regulations are increasingly subjected to benefit-cost analysis as an aid to decision-making in policy. Economic benefits are most appropriately measured by the tradeoffs of other goods and services that people are willing to make to obtain reductions in risks to their lives and health. The measure of willingness to pay ( WTP ) allows for this comparison. These benefits from risk reductions are likely to vary systematically by characteristics of the individual, including the number and ages of children present in the household, and by the type of health threat under consideration. In chapter one of this dissertation, I write a brief introduction. In the second chapter, I examine an important methodological issue--the extent of "scenario adjustment" in a Stated Preference ( SP ) conjoint choice experiment in the context of a household survey concerning health risk reductions. Scenario adjustment occurs when respondents assume that a substantive alternative in a choice set, in their own particular case, will be different than the survey instrument describes. This is a potential source of bias in SP research similar to scenario rejection, but harder to detect. I analyze the impact of scenario adjustment on WTP and suggest a possible correction. In the third chapter, I address the empirical question of patterns in adults' WTP for health risk reductions. I find that demand is influenced by the presence of children, the numbers of children in different age brackets currently in the household, and, for health risks with latency periods, by the prospect of children still being present when a parent's ill health begins or death occurs. In chapter four, I find systematic differences in WTP for health risk reductions across different types of major health threats, such as Alzheimer's disease versus heart attacks. I also look for evidence of a cancer premium due to the dread factor associated with the prospect of cancer. The health threats considered include chronic heart disease, sudden heart attacks, five types of cancers, respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and traffic accidents. In chapter five, I conclude. This dissertation includes previously unpublished co-authored material. / Committee in charge: Trudy Cameron, Chairperson, Economics; William Harbaugh, Member, Economics; Robin McKnight, Member, Economics; Ronald Mitchell, Outside Member, Political Science

A presente tese tem por objetivo geral apresentar dois ensaios sobre os acidentes do trabalho à luz da teoria dos diferenciais salariais compensatórios sobre os empregos de risco no Brasil. Para tanto, a partir da base de dados da Relação Anual de Informações Sociais (RAIS), fornecida pelo Ministério do Trabalho (MT), são construídas variáveis relacionadas às taxas de ocorrência de acidentes do trabalho (fatal, lesão e doença) para as subclasses da Classificação Nacional de Atividades Econômicas (CNAE). No primeiro, intitulado \"O Valor estatístico de uma vida: estimativas para o Brasil\", é calculado o valor estatístico de uma vida para diferentes amostras de trabalhadores (homens, mulheres e trabalhadores blue-collars) com o objetivo de fornecer um parâmetro financeiro referente às indenizações a serem pagas a trabalhadores (e às suas famílias, em caso de acidentes fatais) que sofreram algum dos tipos de acidentes listados anteriormente no exercício de sua atividade laboral. No segundo ensaio, intitulado \"O impacto da \"Lei do Descanso\" nas horas trabalhadas, nos salários e nos acidentes não-fatais do trabalho dos caminhoneiros brasileiros\", é estimado o método de diferenças em diferenças generalizadas para avaliar se a Lei de Descanso, implementada em 2012 no Brasil, visando regular a jornada diária de trabalho e de descanso dos caminhoneiros brasileiros, com o intuito de melhorar as condições de trabalho e de reduzir os acidentes envolvendo estes profissionais, gerou diferenças estatísticas nas horas mensais trabalhadas, nos salários e nos acidentes não-fatais do trabalho (por lesão ou doença) destes trabalhadores. / The purpose of this thesis is to present two essays on labor accidents in the light of the theory of compensatory wage differentials on hazardous jobs in Brazil. To do so, based on the data base of the \"Relação Anual de Informações Sociais (RAIS), provided by the Ministry of Labor (MT), I use variables related to the rates of occurrence of labor accidents (fatal, injury and illness) constructed for the subclasses of the \"Classificação Nacional de Atividades Econômicas\" (CNAE). In the first essay, entitled \"The Value of a Statistical Life: Estimates for Brazil\", the value of a statistical life is estimated for different samples of workers (men, women and blue-collar workers) with the objective of providing a financial parameter related to the indemnities to be paid to workers (and their families in case of fatal accidents) who suffered any of the types of accidents listed, previously, in the exercise of their work activity. In the second essay, entitled \"The Impact of the \"Rest by Law\" on hours worked, wages, and non-fatal accidents of Brazilian truck drivers\", the method of generalized differences-in-differences is estimated to assess whether the \"Rest by Law\", implemented in 2012 in Brazil, aimed to properly regulate the daily work of the Brazilian truck drivers, with the purpose of improving their working conditions and reducing accidents involving these professionals, generated statistical differences on monthly hours worked, in wages and in non-fatal accidents of work (injury or illness) of these workers.

The first paper examines the value of a statistical life (VSL) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) victims. We found VSL values to be higher for OHCA victims than for people who die in road traffic accidents and a lower-bound estimate of VSL for OHCA would be in the range of 20 to 30 million Swedish crowns (SEK). The second paper concerns hypothetical bias in contingent valuation (CV) studies. We investigate the link between the determinants and empirical treatment of uncertainty through certainty calibration and find that the higher the confidence of the respondents the more we can trust that stated WTP is correlated to actual WTP. The third paper investigates the performance of two communication aids (a flexible community analogy and an array of dots) in valuing mortality risk reductions for OHCA. The results do not support the prediction of expected utility theory, i.e. that WTP for a mortality risk reduction increases with the amount of risk reduction (weak scope sensitivity), for any of the communication aids. The fourth paper presents a cost-benefit analysis to evaluate the effects of dual dispatch defibrillation by ambulance and fire services in the County of Stockholm. The intervention had positive economic effects, yielding a benefit-cost ratio of 36, a cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) of € 13 000 and the cost per saved life was € 60 000. The fifth paper explores how different response times from OHCA to defibrillation affect patients’ survival rates by using geographic information systems (GIS). The model predicted a baseline survival rate of 3.9% and reducing the ambulance response time by 1 minute increased survival to 4.6%. The sixth paper analyzes demographic determinants of incident experience and risk perception, and the relationship between the two, for eight different risk domains. Males and highly educated respondents perceive their risks lower than what is expected compared to actual incident experience.

No description available.

Abstract in English, Tsonga and Zulu / Mitlumbo ya mifambafambo ya le magondzweni i xin’wana xa miringeto (risks) yo biha ku tlula hinkwayo ya swifambo swa le gondzweni emisaveni hinkwayo, leswi yimelaka xiphiqo lexikulu xa swohanyaswin’we-ikhonomi ngopfu-ngopfu eka matiko lama ya ha hluvukaka tanihi Afrika-Dzonga. Ku va ku nyikiwa masungulo yo tiya ya xiikhonomi eka swiboho swa mbekiso ku tirhana na ntlhontlho lowu, i swa nkoka swinene ku hlela ndhurho wa mitlumbo leyi. Mipimanyeto leyi yi tirha tanihi nxopaxopo wa swinghenisiwa swa mbuyelo wa ndhurheriwo ku endlela ku kuma mphakelo wa switirhisiwa wo tirha kahle eka ku nghenelela eka ku tirhana na mitlhontlho leyi vangiwaka hi mitlumbano ya le magondzweni. Tiko ra Afrika-Dzonga a ri nga ri ku pfuxeteni ka mahungu ya mipimanyeto ya midurho ya mitlumbano ya le magondzweni nkarhi na nkarhi, naswona leyi a yi endliwa a yi tirhisa maendlelo lamo soriwa ngopfu yo languta nkoka wa vanhu (human capital). Hikwalaho, mipimanyeto leyi nga kona a yi nga ta va leyi tshembekaka eka ku kunguhata na ku pimaniseka na mipimanyeto ya matiko man’wana. Hi le ka ku landzelela vundzhaku lebyi laha dyondzo leyi yi nga tumbuluka na ku kombisa matirhiselo ya rimba ra ntirho wo katsa (hybrid) ku kambela ndhurho wa mitlumbo ya swifambo swa le magondzweni eAfrika-Dzonga. Rimba leri ri tirhisa endlelo ro kongomisa eka nkoka wa vanhu na ku pfumela ku hakela (willingness-to-pay), eka dyondzo yi ri yin’we. Mipimanyeto ya midurho ya nkoka wa vanhu ya laveka ku va yi pfuna eka ku kunguhata leswaku yi tlakusa swinenenene swihumesiwa swa rixaka, loko hala tlhelo mipimanyeto yo pfumela ku hakela yona yi ri yona yi fanelaka swinene eka ku pfuneta minghenelelo yo tlakusa nhlayiseko wa vanhu hi ku hunguta ku vaviseka na ku fa. Endlelo ro pfumela ku hakela ri tirhisa maendlelo ya swo ka swi nga ri swa makete (contingent valuation) na ya maendlelo yo langa (preference). Khwexinere yo valanga leyi a yi ri na maendlelo yo ka ya nga ri ya swa makete na swilangiwa leswi a swi boxiwile, yi tirhisiwile hi magoza mambirhi ku sampula vaanguri va 273 eka ntirho wa swo tleketla. Eka mhaka ya endlelo ro kongomisa eka nkoka wa vanhu, mipimanyeto ya ndhurho eka xiviko xa 2016 xa Cost of Crashes in South Africa yi hundzuluxiwile hi ku katsa inifulexini, ku tirhisiwa mpimo wa 2017 wa 5.3% ku kuma mipimanyeto ya ndhurho ya 2017. Dyondzo leyi yi paluxile leswaku endlelo ro kongomisa eka nkoka wa vanhu ri kayiveta ku vona ndhurho wa mitlumbo ya le magondzweni. Dyondzo leyi yi hoxa xandla eka ntsengo wa vutivi hi ku tirhisa endlelo ro languta nkoka wa vanhu na endlelo ro pfumela ku hakela eka dyondzo yi ri yin’we ku kombisa ntirhiseko wa endlelo leri ra nkatso (hybrid)/nhlanganiso eka xiyimo xa Afrika-Dzonga. Ndzavisiso wa nkarhi lowu taka wu fanele ku engeta dyondzo leyi hi sampulu leyi humaka eka swifundzakulu hinkwaswo swa nkaye swa Afrika-Dzonga, leswaku mipimanyeto ya ndhurho yi yimela vanhu va tiko hinkwaro. / Road traffic crashes are one of the worst risks of road mobility worldwide, representing a huge socio-economic problem particularly in developing countries such as South Africa. In order to provide a sound economic basis for investment decisions to address this challenge, it is critical to assess the cost of these crashes. These estimates serve cost-benefit analysis inputs to facilitate a more efficient resources allocation for interventions to address the challenge posed by road crashes. South Africa has not been updating crash cost estimates on a regular basis, and those that were conducted used the much criticised human capital approach. Therefore, the available estimates could not be relied upon for planning purposes and comparison with the estimates of other countries. It is against this background that this study developed and illustrated the application of a hybrid framework for assessing the cost of road traffic crashes in South Africa. The framework uses the human capital approach and the willingness-to-pay approach in one study. Human capital approach cost estimates are needed to inform planning to maximize the national output, while the willingness-to-pay estimates are more suitable when the main concern is to inform interventions to increase social welfare by reducing injuries and fatalities. The willingness-to-pay approach uses the contingent valuation and the stated preference methods. A survey questionnaire with contingent valuation and stated preference questions was administered in two phases to a sample of 273 respondents within the transport industry. For the human capital approach, the cost estimates in the 2016 Cost of Crashes in South Africa report were adjusted for inflation using the 2017 rate of 5.3% to obtain 2017 cost estimates. This study revealed that the human capital approach underestimates the cost of road crashes. The study contributes to the body of knowledge by using the human capital approach and the willingness-to-pay approach in one study to illustrate the applicability of this hybrid/ combination within the South African context. Future research needs to replicate this study on a sample drawn from all nine provinces of South Africa, so that the cost estimates are representative of the country’s population. / Ukuphazamiseka komgwaqo kungenye yezingozi ezimbi kakhulu zokuhamba komgwaqo emhlabeni jikelele, ezimele inkinga enkulu yenhlalo nezomnotho ikakhulukazi emazweni asathuthuka njengeNingizimu Afrika. Ukuze unikeze isisekelo sezomnotho esizwakalayo ezinqumeni zokutshala izimali ukubhekana nale nselele, kubalulekile ukuhlola izindleko zalezi zingozi. Lezi zilinganiso zisebenza njengeziphakamiso zokuhlaziywa kwezindleko zokuhlomula ukuze kube lula ukunikezwa kwezinsiza ezenzelwe ukuxazulula inselele ebangelwa ukuphazamiseka komgwaqo. INingizimu Afrika ayizange ibuyekeze ukulinganisa izindleko zezingozi njalo, futhi lezo ezenziwa zisebenzise indlela enkulu yokugxeka ukusebenzisa abantu. Ngakho-ke, izilinganiso ezitholakalayo azikwazanga ukuthenjelwa kuzona ngezinjongo zokuhlela nokuqhathaniswa nezilinganiso zamanye amazwe. Lokhu kuphikisana nalesi sigaba ukuthi lolu cwaningo lusungulwe futhi luboniswe ukusetshenziswa kohlaka oluxubile lokuhlola izindleko zokuphazamiseka komgwaqo eNingizimu Afrika. Uhlaka lusebenzisa indlela yokusebenzisa abantu kanye nendlela yokuzimisela-ukukhokha ocwaningweni olulodwa. Ukulinganiselwa kwezindleko zokusebenzisa abantu kuyadingeka ukuze kwaziswe ukuhlela ukwandisa umkhiqizo kazwelonke, kanti ukulinganiselwa kokuzimisela-ukukhokhela kukulungele kakhulu ukwazisa ukungenelela ukwandisa inhlalakahle yomphakathi ngokunciphisa ukulimala nokubulawa kwabantu. Indlela yokuzimisela-ukukhokha isebenzisa ukuhlaziywa kwesilinganiso kanye nezindlela okukhethwa ngazo. Imibuzo yokuhlola ngokuhlaziywa kwesilinganiso kanye nemibuzo ekhethwe ngayo yenziwa ngezigaba ezimbili embonakalisweni yabaphendulile abangama-273 embonini yezokuthutha. Ngokwendlela yokusebenzisa abantu, izindleko ezilinganiselwa ku-2016 Izindleko Zokushayisana eNingizimu Afrika kubikwa ukuthi zalungiselwa ukwenyuka kwamandla emali, kusetshenziswa isilinganiso sango-2017 esingu-5.3% ukuthola izindleko zango-2017. Lolu cwaningo luveze ukuthi indlela yokusebenzisa abantu ithatha kancane izindleko zokuphazamiseka komgwaqo. Ucwaningo lunomthelela emzimbeni wolwazi ngokusebenzisa indlela yokusebenzisa abantu kanye nendlela yokuzimisela-ukukhokha ocwaningweni olulodwa ukukhombisa ukufaneleka kwalesi sivumelwano / inhlanganisela ngaphakathi komongo waseNingizimu Afrika. Ucwaningo lwesikhathi esizayo ludinga ukuphindaphinda lolu cwaningo embonakalisweni othathwe kuzo zonke izifundazwe eziyisishiyagalolunye zaseNingizimu Afrika, ukuze ukulinganiswa kwezindleko kummele abantu bezwe / Business Management / D. Phil. (Management Studies)