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A growing literature shows that income volatility has negative effects on household well‐being. Using the Survey of Income and Program Participation, we use temporal ordering to investigate the relationship between monthly household income volatility and the subsequent change in self‐reported health status of the household head. For liquidity constrained households, a one standard deviation increase in volatility over 24 months leads to a 1.3%–4.3% increase in the probability of worsened health. The magnitude of this effect is approximately two‐thirds that of the impact of a one standard deviation change in the level of mean household income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent literature identifies disadvantaged neighborhoods lacking access to healthy food as “food deserts” where limited food choices may affect health and socioeconomic outcomes. Researchers have applied varying definitions of food deserts, however, making generalizations problematic. We use GIS methods to examine the congruence and coverage of different definitions for Portland, Oregon. Each identifies somewhat different neighborhoods as food deserts, with none accounting for the majority of socioeconomically vulnerable populations living with low food access. To supplement, we introduce the concept of the food hinterland—home to a significant share of the vulnerable population living with low food access. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Currently, biophysical risk factors figure prominently in federal resource allocation to communities threatened by wildfire. Yet, disaster research demonstrates that socioeconomic characteristics impact disaster risk and resilience. Consequently, this study evaluates whether federal wildfire program resources are reaching socially vulnerable populations. Biophysical and social vulnerability indicators were included in a series of regressions to identify predictors of participation in three wildfire mitigation programs in Arizona. Findings indicate that mitigation activities are closely correlated with biophysical risk to wildfire, but socially vulnerable communities are less likely to participate even when exposed to high wildfire risk. This finding suggests a need for a more strategic and equitable distribution of federal resources to mitigate wildfire risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we investigate the relationship between income shocks and food insufficiency for U.S. households. Using Survey of Income and Program Participation data on U.S. households, we test the importance of both stable and transitory income components in determining food insufficiency. In a logistic regression model, we find that both the level of income and negative income shocks affect the predicted probability of food insufficiency, while positive income shocks do not. Although we do not have a definitive measure of a household's liquidity constraint status, our work suggests that negative shocks may matter more for households that face liquidity constraints. Understanding the role of income shocks in determining food insufficiency is especially important in light of recent policy changes. It is likely that welfare reform in the U.S. increased the volatility of income in the low-income population. Our findings here suggest that this increase in volatility may not be without consequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the unique rankings of the extent to which fiscal structures of the U.S. states contribute to long-term economic growth. The rankings are extended in two respects, one is that they are grounded in established growth theory wherein the effect of taxes depends on the level of taxes and on the composition of expenditures and another, that they are derived from actual estimates of the link between fiscal structures and economic growth. It also evaluates the impacts of two hypothetical policy experiments on real growth in per capita personal income in each state which provide information relevant to potential changes in state's fiscal policies with regard to economic growth.

This article examines the effect of job access on employment outcomes for welfare recipients in Cleveland, Ohio, leaving assistance during 1998-2000. A rich longitudinal dataset is employed, combining administrative and survey data with multiple measures of access to and competition for jobs. The focus is on both a population and a range of measures of employment outcomes not previously studied in this context. Empirical ambiguity in the existing literature has resulted from the difficulty of modelling causality when employment and residential location are jointly determined. In this study, labour market outcomes are related to the residential locations of welfare leavers prior to employment, thus overcoming much potential endogeneity. Virtually no evidence is found that job access influences labour market outcomes for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies African American attendance at performances of the Cleveland Orchestra. Interest in Afro-Americans as performing arts consumers; Demographics; Implications; Expectations.

In order to increase the commercialization of basic research, policy makers have tried to foster closer ties between university research and industry R&D. To empirically test whether there is a link between commercialization and university research, this paper models firm startups during 1976-78 for six 2-digit manufacturing industries located in 25 metropolitan areas The findings are mixed the relationship between university research and firm births in the electrical and electronic equipment industries (SIC 36) is positive and statistically significant, while in the instruments and related industries (SIC 38) the relationship is statistically insignificant

Assesses the impact of welfare reform on labor markets in the United States. Development of local labor market information system in the Cleveland-Akron, Ohio metropolitan area; Employment in low-skilled job opportunities by welfare recipients before becoming fully employed; Dependence on public tranportation by recipients on aid to families with dependent children.

The determinants of the geographic distribution of industry R&D activity are examined with particular emphasis on the role of university research as weft as state science and technology programs. An analysis of a cross section of metropolitan areas indicates that industry R&D labs are located in areas with state science and technology programs, as well as in areas with higher levels of university research, larger quantifies of non-welfare related local government spending, a better educated workforce, and a greater population density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]