Work

Invited Commentary: An Interdisciplinary Approach for Policy Evaluation

Year: 2016

Type: editorial

Abstract: Evidence-based policymaking is becoming the norm, but how do we acquire the evidence to inform policies? In their article in the present issue of the Journal, Basu et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2016;183(6):531-538) used difference-in-difference-in-differences models and a synthetic control approach to examine the effects of the 1996 welfare reforms on health outcomes among single mothers. In the present commentary, we discuss the limitations of observational studies for policy evaluation. Difference-in-differences models, from the field of economics, offer a rigorous approach to cope with those limitations.

Source: American Journal of Epidemiology

DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwv237

Authors: Summer Sherburne Hawkins, Christopher F. Baum

Institution: Boston College

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Causal Inference Techniques

Subfield: Statistics and Probability

Field: Mathematics

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development