David Bradford
Health economist. Editor-in-Chief at Health Economics. Professor at the University of Georgia - which really wants me to clarify these are my opinions and not those of UGA. spia.uga.edu/faculty-member/w-da…
- Reposted by David Bradford🚨 New Issue Alert 🚨 The March 2026 issue of Health Economics explores how policy, institutions, and early-life conditions shape health over the life course—from primary care access and income gradients to pandemics, tax credits, and intergenerational effects. tinyurl.com/4kvxpekb
- The call for abstracts for the 2026 Highland Health Economics Symposium is out - see details below. Abstract deadline is March 15. This invitational conference emphasizes bringing junior and senior people together and promotes fun along the way. Hope to see you there! tinyurl.com/HHES2026-Inv...
- Reposted by David BradfordNew research from Kenya: Giving a mother just 1 extra year of education reduces her child’s risk of stunting by 3.8% and underweight by 2.6%. 📚🇰🇪 It’s not just a correlation — it’s a causal "intergenerational lift." 📈 tinyurl.com/3bu4f825
- Reposted by David BradfordThey want us working earlier and til we die to pay for their tax cuts for the rich. Supervillains.
- Reposted by David BradfordThis is why Democrats need to compete EVERYWHERE. We won’t win every race, but it’s stupid and irresponsible to simply forfeit certain races to incumbents. Always but especially now, we need competitive elections. And at the bare minimum, make them spend money defending seats they had won by 17 pts
- Reposted by David BradfordThis Epstein drop is HUGE and utterly disgusting. I don’t see how this man is allowed to remain in office. Where are the evangelical leaders, the soccer moms, the folks stocking up on eggs, the farmers, the small business owners. Decide. Who are you?
- Reposted by David Bradfordevery epstein file drop underscores how elite power operates through shared socio-economic networks, regardless of people's ideological differences, populist posturing, or public feuds
- Fine! Put my name, face and home address out there. I’ll print that shit out, frame it, and pass it down with pride to my grandkids. At least they won’t have to wonder what I did while nazis tried to take over our country.
- I cannot believe we’re at the point where *progressives* have to be the ones saying “but we do have a second amendment in this country.” www.reddit.com/r/Progressiv...
- FINALLY the @nytimes.com is willing to plainly state the obvious: Donald Trump and all of the members of his now-illegitimate regime are liars, and they lie in the manner of authoritarian tyrants. The promise of this country will not be restored until this regime is ended.
- That first sentence hits hard. And true. And sufficient indictment to justify removing Trump and the rest of his tyrannical cabal from power.
- Kerri Raissian at Yale always makes excellent points. Here’s another one.
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- Reposted by David BradfordMemory is a fragile thing in this moment, so it is important to keep in mind that Hakeem Jeffries refused to whip his caucus against ICE funding earlier this week.
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- The Trump regime’s goal is to oppress their political opponents into submission by making us believe they are overwhelmingly powerful and that we cannot win. Killing us is essential to that goal. Never forget: all of this is proceeding exactly like Trump, Miller, Vance and MAGA intend.
- So everything that right wing noisemakers have been saying about 2nd Amendment right to carry firearms is just bullshit?? Apparently it’s ok to carry a gun if you’re a Proud Boy storming the Capitol, but not ok to carry a handgun in the presence of tyranny from the MAGA gestapo.
- Reposted by David BradfordExpanding prescription drug coverage can reduce severe antimicrobial resistance. New research shows Medicare Part D led to 42.4 fewer AMR-related hospitalizations per 100k people. 📉 Improved access = timely treatment = fewer severe infections. tinyurl.com/mrx9tmv8
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- Reposted by David BradfordSpending $1 on fossil fuel subsidies can cost $0.35 in public health funding. 💸🏥 A new 126-country study reveals how these subsidies "crowd out" health budgets, stalling progress on #SDG3. The choice: cheap fuel or healthy people? 🌍 tinyurl.com/36ec52z5
- Reposted by David BradfordHow do insurers respond when patients face multiple health risks? Evidence from Chile’s private health system shows strong asymmetric information across risks, shaping premiums, plan design, and who gets covered. Risk selection is more complex than we think. tinyurl.com/26s93chm
- Reposted by David BradfordIs European health progress truly "fair"? 🌍 New data shows income-based health looks progressive, but when you factor in parental background and job status, the trend reverses. 📉 🏥 Italy leads in favorable dynamics. 🚻 Women lead in IT/DE; men in FI. tinyurl.com/yj8wh4vw
- Pardon my language, but what the actual fuck??? www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
- Reposted by David BradfordThe Jan. 2026 issue of the @jpolecon.bsky.social should be of great interest to anyone interested in the well being of young people. www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/jpe/2026...
- I would say that definitely *is* worth noting.
- This is a list of particular anti-American crimes by the Trump regime that should strengthen the resolve to resist in anyone who cares about the Constitution and the inheritance of liberty we’ve received.
- Reposted by David BradfordA new study shows that stronger labor market policies improve maternal mental health before pregnancy. A $1 rise in the minimum wage cuts pre-pregnancy depression by 8.5%, and a $100 increase in the state EITC lowers it by 1.5%. Income support matters early. tinyurl.com/45ntn6rn
- Reposted by David BradfordNew evidence shows that growing up in families receiving larger Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) benefits reduces work disability in adulthood. Long-term income support does more than fight poverty — it shapes lifelong health. tinyurl.com/4ww5hjtr
- Reposted by David BradfordIn-utero exposure to COVID medical-procedure delay orders raised the likelihood of an adverse birth-outcome diagnosis by 13% (from a 6% baseline) and pushed prenatal care toward telehealth. Delaying “non-urgent” pregnancy care has real costs. tinyurl.com/5rtuy5y7
- Reposted by David BradfordArgentina’s zero-tolerance drunk-driving laws didn’t deliver. A new study finds no drop in traffic deaths and higher injury rates after adoption, with little change in drinking behavior. Tough rules didn’t shift the risks that matter. Policy intent ≠ policy impact. tinyurl.com/7dkxbbw9
- Reposted by David BradfordMost health studies model doctor and non-doctor visits separately. This paper shows why that misses the point: the two are tightly linked, driven by shared behaviors and unobserved traits. Joint modeling reveals who actually uses care—and how. 👉 tinyurl.com/5e7zanfu
- Reposted by David BradfordNew US claims data show a sharp ⬇️ in children’s asthma medication adherence during COVID — especially among the youngest children. Evidence points to parental attention as a key driver. Mail-order refills softened the decline. tinyurl.com/2mv5a85d
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- This is a grossly anti-American infringement on 1A and academic freedom by Texas A&M. I taught transgender policy this week in my @uga-spia.bsky.social undergrad class. Students appreciate the chance to think about the issues. They can handle it! www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
- Reposted by David BradfordCan paying people to vaccinate backfire? A new study finds that 1 in 7 vaccine-hesitant adults who would have accepted a COVID-19 shot declined when offered money. Incentives reduced trust in vaccine safety & weakened prosocial motivation to vaccinate. tinyurl.com/4r885vkx
- Reposted by David BradfordWhen outpatient care becomes affordable, patients don’t just visit the clinic more—they uncover hidden health needs. A new study finds that expanded chronic disease coverage in China increased both outpatient and inpatient use, revealing the cost of delayed care. tinyurl.com/4rnx2tyf
- I just saw that @ossoff.senate.gov / @ossoff.bsky.social voted “no” on reopening government before the ACA fix is in place. Thank you Senator!
- Hey, @schumer.senate.gov , I’m not one of your constituents, but I swear to God, if the senate Dems cave and sign off on a budget without *first* fixing the ACA subsidy problem I will give every penny I can to whoever primaries you. At this point you’re nothing but a worthless MAGA enabler.
- Reposted by David BradfordNew study finds that U.S. regions hardest hit by Japan’s manufacturing surge in the 1970s–80s saw higher cardiovascular & drug-related deaths among Black workers, but not whites. Trade shocks can deepen health inequality. tinyurl.com/ms3zm6su
- Reposted by David BradfordCleaner air, healthier beginnings 🌎👶 A new study finds that the EPA’s air-quality reforms did more than cut pollution—they improved lives from birth. 💡 Low birth weight ↓ 5.5% 💡 Very preterm births ↓ 13% 💡 Biggest gains for Black, low-educated & single mothers tinyurl.com/2pachbzr
- Reposted by David BradfordEnhanced social care can reshape healthcare use. A new study finds that after joining Australia’s NDIS, people with disability made fewer subsidized mental & allied health visits—suggesting social care may replace, not raise, demand for clinical care. tinyurl.com/ywesp92z
- Who says economists are out of touch with real people and that our work is irrelevant??? tinamarshdalton.substack.com/p/halloween-...
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- Reposted by David BradfordWhen maternity wards are crowded, mothers receive fewer medical interventions—and newborns fare better. Evidence from Norway suggests that “less can be more” in healthcare. Read the study in Health Economics: tinyurl.com/mpd5w3yj
- Reposted by David Bradford🤖 Can robots make us healthier? A new study finds that regions with higher robot adoption show ⬇️ in chronic diseases. As robots replace physically demanding jobs, they may reduce worker stress & improve overall wellbeing. tinyurl.com/yj2mf926
- Reposted by David BradfordWhen a spouse dies, the surviving partner’s need for institutional long-term care spikes—by 1.5 percentage point within 3 months, then fades by 10. Early post-bereavement support is key to sustaining “aging-in-place.” Read our new paper: tinyurl.com/zpubkxhu
- Reposted by David Bradford📢 New in Health Economics: The first large-scale longitudinal study (25,000 adults, 14 years) shows how #hope shapes health, education, work, resilience & social outcomes. tinyurl.com/4e43zeyb @brookings.edu @uni-of-warwick.bsky.social
- Woman in charge of U.S. program to traffic humans arrives in London for human trafficking summit.
- Reposted by David BradfordTo drink or not to drink? 🥂 New in Health Economics: Cognitive skills link to frequent but lighter drinking, noncognitive skills lower risky use, while social skills raise both consumption and binge risk. tinyurl.com/3dftmvs4
- Reposted by David Bradford📉 The ACA reduced uninsured rates—but not equally. In the U.S. South, counties in states with less oppressive racial histories gained far more than neighbors across the border with deeper Jim Crow legacies. History still shapes who benefits from reform: tinyurl.com/537z5ysx
- Reposted by David Bradford📈 Once niche, health economics is now central to the field. A new study shows its share in top journals tripled since the 1990s—driven not by conformity, but by innovative, high-quality research. Health is shaping the future of economics.
- Reposted by David Bradford👣 In Ethiopia, untreated clubfoot cuts children’s mobility, mental health & schooling significantly. Early Ponseti treatment restores up to 71–82% of lost human flourishing. A $500 intervention with life-changing impact.
- Reposted by David BradfordIn Sweden, mothers with less schooling were more likely to vaccinate after reading scientific messages. But emotional survivor stories backfired—reducing uptake among high school–educated mothers. 🎯Targeted framing can shift outcomes.
- Reposted by David BradfordFlu season is coming. 🍂💉 A French study shows that invitation letters & free vouchers boost vaccination—especially among the most risk-averse. Clearer, targeted campaigns could save thousands. tinyurl.com/y7frzfk2 @universityofleeds.bsky.social
- Reposted by David BradfordDoes the way we frame #contraceptive effectiveness change people’s choices? New evidence shows risk and time framings—“5% will get pregnant” vs “95% won’t”—shift preferences in measurable ways.
- Reposted by David BradfordCan stronger employer responsibilities improve workplace accommodation for sick workers? A new study from the Netherlands finds no significant impact on accommodations, but reveals firms are opting out of public insurance to manage costs themselves.
- Reposted by David BradfordHow can governments better target #health insurance for those most in need? A new study from #Indonesia applies machine learning to improve enrollment strategies—showing data-driven approaches can enhance efficiency & equity. Read the full paper here:
- Reposted by David BradfordNew research finds that Chinese-funded transportation infrastructure in Africa significantly improved child health, particularly during the construction phase. The likely mechanism? Mothers' increased paid employment during this period. 👶🚧 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
- Reposted by David BradfordWhat happens to malpractice costs when states repeal noneconomic damage caps?Evidence from Georgia & Illinois shows insurance premiums jump 📈 —especially in OB-GYN & surgery—with stronger effects after State Supreme Court rulings. 👉 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
- We wrap up #SHESG2025 on a high note with Christine Durrance presenting work with her colleagues on online dating, dating markets, and family formation. The internet caused a major shock in the way people meet - especially with the introduction of dating-specific apps.
- For our third presentation of the morning at #SHESG2025 we have Wei Fu presenting work on the benefit of paid family leave in reducing child maltreatment. Obviously, the US stands out among developed countries as not having national paid family leave.
- Next up at @SHESG2025, Katherine Wen presents work on employment and vaccine mandates. Katherine and her colleagues study the impact of vaccinations mandates surrounding COVID. You may remember that there was significant push-back from workers about the mandates at the time.
- Hyun Soo Suh kicks off the Saturday morning session at #SHESG2025 with a paper on mental and physical health shocks and their effects of early career labor market outcomes. Their context is Australia using the HILDA panel data.
- And now for the short presentations at #SHESG2025. Priyanka Anand examines how people use information when deciding when/whether to start claiming social security or disability insurance (between 62 and the FRA). SSA statements materially affect this decision, increasing DI apps.
