Browsing by Author "Mykerezi, Elton"

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    Education and Socio-Economic Wellbeing in Racially Diverse Rural Counties: The Contribution of Historically Black Colleges and Universities
    Mykerezi, Elton (Virginia Tech, 2003-12-19)
    This thesis examines trends in the socio-economic well-being in rural counties where Blacks represent one-third or more of the population. In addition, this thesis also examines the impact that college education has on the economic development of these counties, with particular focus on the role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The thesis is composed of two papers: "Education and Socioeconomic Wellbeing in Racially Diverse Rural Counties", and "Economic Growth in Racially Diverse Rural Counties: The Contribution of Historically Black Colleges and Universities." The first of the two papers provides a descriptive review of the racially diverse rural counties (RDRCs) which are located exclusively in the rural south and generally have very low levels of economic well-being. On a positive note, college education levels in RDRCs are found to have increased rapidly between 1990 and 2000. County-level, regression analysis suggests that these increases were in part due to the concentration of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the region. Local investments in K__12 education are also found to be linked to county education levels. The second paper uses county subdivision level regression analysis, and finds that proximity to HBCUs influences college education amongst Blacks in RDRCs positively. Further county subdivision-level regression analysis suggests that the rate of college education attainment in these counties amongst Blacks and the general population has a significant positive impact upon income growth in RDRCs.
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    Evaluation of Food Assistance Programs and Implications of Patients' Health Information Seeking
    Li, Yiran (Virginia Tech, 2013-12-16)
    The first part of this dissertation evaluates the effectiveness of food assistance by gathering evidence from developing countries and the United States. The first essay applies a multi-market model to three developing countries and simulate recent spikes in staple prices and food aid impacts. Results indicate that higher food prices would result in reduction in household real income and deterioration of household welfare. Food aid in the form of cash transfers targeted at low-income groups could improve household real income of the target group after world price shocks and, partially or completely, offset the negative impacts of higher food prices. The impact of cash transfer on untargeted groups is ambiguous. It is likely to be positive for households that are net producers of the commodities that have increased production and prices under cash transfer and the production surplus is sufficiently large. The second essay focuses on the Food Stamp Program (FSP), a cornerstone of food assistance safety net efforts in the U.S. to reduce household food insecurity, particularly among children. The essay examines the dynamic relationship between FSP participation and child food security using monthly measures. Empirical estimates using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics demonstrate that child food security declines in the months immediately prior to FSP entrance, but then partially recovers following program entrance. These dynamic FSP effects are masked when annual measures are employed. The third paper of this dissertation studies the potential impacts of patient's widespread use of online health information. In particular, the essay employs a principal agent model and focuses on the quality of online health information. The model shows that when the quality of health information improves, since medical consultations become more efficient and less costly, a higher effort will be induced or contracted from the physician. Diagnosis becomes more accurate, because physicians will try exert more effort in diagnosing patients and patients will suffer less loss from their illnesses.
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    Three Essays on the Well-Being of Vulnerable Populations
    Mykerezi, Elton (Virginia Tech, 2007-07-16)
    This dissertation is composed of three essays that measure the impact of social programs and policies on the well being of their target populations. The first essay entitled "The Wage Impact of Historically Black College and University Attendance" examines the impact of attending a Historically Black College or University on the wages of Blacks attending HBCUs versus other four year colleges or universities using a sample of Blacks from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1979). The study finds no initial advantage to HBCU attendance for black men, but a 1.4 to 1.6 percentage point higher growth rate in subsequent wages is associated with the attendance of an HBCU as opposed to other four year colleges. This faster growth rate translates in a net discounted HBCU earnings gain of 8.9 to 9.6 percent over a 16 year period following college attendance. The study finds no advantage or disadvantage to HBCU attendance for Black females. The second essay entitled "Transient and Chronic Poverty in the US: The Role of the Food Stamp Program" examines the unique and common determinants of short-term intra-annual transient poverty and chronic poverty, as well as the differential response of each state of poverty to Food Stamp Program (FSP) use. The study employs dynamic expenditure-based poverty measures using quarterly data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey (2001-2004). The major finding is that FSP use reduces transient poverty, but the study finds no significant impact of FSP use on chronic poverty. The common causes of both states of poverty are low human capital, minority status and involuntary unemployment of the household head. Changes in family composition during the year is only associated with higher transient poverty. The third essay entitled "Food Insecurity and the Food Stamp Program" examines the determinants of food insecurity in the US, as well as its response to Food Stamp Program use with data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (1995-1999). The study finds that FSP use reduces household food insecurity, and that the program impact is greater for households that experience more severe insecurity. In addition the study finds that higher risk tolerance as well as a preference for smoking cigarettes increase household food insecurity.