The effects of minimum wages on (almost) everything? A review of recent evidence on health and related behaviors

The effects of minimum wages on (almost) everything? A review of recent evidence on health and related behaviors

I review and assess the evidence on minimum wage effects on health outcomes and health‐related behaviors. The evidence on physical health points in conflicting directions, leaning toward adverse effects. Research on effects on diet and obesity sometimes points to beneficial effects, whereas other ev...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Labour (Rome, Italy) Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 1 - 65
Main Author: Neumark, David
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-03-2024
Subjects:
Diet
Effects
Health behavior
Health status
Mental health
Minimum wage
Obesity
Side effects
Smoking
Suicide
Wages & salaries
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Summary:I review and assess the evidence on minimum wage effects on health outcomes and health‐related behaviors. The evidence on physical health points in conflicting directions, leaning toward adverse effects. Research on effects on diet and obesity sometimes points to beneficial effects, whereas other evidence indicates that higher minimum wages increase smoking and drinking and reduce exercise (and possibly hygiene). In contrast, there is evidence that higher minimum wages reduce suicides, partly consistent with the evidence of positive or mixed effects on other measures of mental health/depression. Overall, policy conclusions that minimum wages improve health are unwarranted or at least premature.
ISSN:1121-7081
1467-9914
DOI:10.1111/labr.12263