The project will design, implement, and evaluate a Social Security program in the state of Yucatan, Mexico with a randomized control trial methodology. The Social Security program will be phased in over a three year period, allowing for the judicious choice of treatment and control groups and baseline and follow-up measurements. The proposed program will include both a monthly cash transfer and a health component. In order to ascertain the optimal design of the program, the effects of each component of the program on the health and well-being of elderly recipients will be evaluated. Program parameters will be varied experimentally and their effects will be evaluated. Interventions include anemia treatments, providing health care access, means testing, frequency of benefit payments, and variation of age eligibility rules. A broad spectrum of outcomes will be considered, including health behaviors, dietary practices, physical performance measures, functionality, and selected biomarkers;health care utilization and expenses;cognitive capabilities;social contacts, consumption, financial transfers, mental health, assets and income. The experimental set-up will be used to shed light on key behavioral parameters, such as the effect of financial resources on health and nutrition and on health care utilization;the short and long term relation between financial resources and subjective well-being;the importance of hyperbolic discounting;household risk management strategies and consumption smoothing in response to health shocks;intrahousehold transfers;the income elasticity of labor supply among the elderly.

Public Health Relevance

The project will design, implement, and evaluate a Social Security program in the state of Yucatan, Mexico with a randomized control trial methodology.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AG035008-02
Application #
8118825
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-PSE-C (02))
Program Officer
Phillips, John
Project Start
2010-08-01
Project End
2015-07-31
Budget Start
2011-08-15
Budget End
2012-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$795,278
Indirect Cost
Name
Rand Corporation
Department
Type
DUNS #
006914071
City
Santa Monica
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90401
Aguila, Emma; Kapteyn, Arie; Perez-Arce, Francisco (2017) Consumption Smoothing and Frequency of Benefit Payments of Cash Transfer Programs. Am Econ Rev 107:430-435
Aguila, Emma; Kapteyn, Arie; Tassot, Caroline (2017) Designing Cash Transfer Programs for an Older Population: The Mexican Case. J Econ Ageing 9:111-121
Aguila, Emma; Guerrero, Erick G; Vega, William A (2016) Sociodemographic characteristics associated with alcohol use among low-income Mexican older adults. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 11:16
Aguila, Emma; Weidmer, Beverly A; Illingworth, Alfonso Rivera et al. (2016) Culturally Competent Informed-Consent Process to Evaluate a Social Policy for Older Persons With Low Literacy: The Mexican Case. Sage Open 6:
Aguila, Emma; Mejia, Nelly; Perez-Arce, Francisco et al. (2016) Costs of Extending the Noncontributory Pension Program for Elderly: The Mexican Case. J Aging Soc Policy 28:325-43
Aguila, Emma; Kapteyn, Arie; Smith, James P (2015) Effects of income supplementation on health of the poor elderly: the case of Mexico. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 112:70-5