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We analyse a rich dataset of Economics students at a UK university to identify causal effects of class absence on student performance, exploiting the random assignment of students and information on students' class timetables to avoid selection problems. We use panel properties of the data to control for unobserved student factors such as ability and effort. Quantile regression results suggest that absence has adverse effects on performance--but these effects are causal only for the upper part of the conditional performance distribution. (Contains 5 tables and 3 figures.)

Context In the context of changing admissions criteria and an expanding medical school intake in the UK, we analysed the determinants of the medical school dropout probability. Objectives We aimed to analyse the determinants of the probability that a student will drop out of medical school during Year 1 and to compare the results of this analysis over time. Methods We carried out logistic regression analysis for the 6 intake cohorts of 1990–92 and 1998–2000. Results Between 1990–92 and 1998–2000, there were substantial increases in both the size of the entry cohort and the proportion of students dropping out of medical school. A logit model for the 1990–92 and 1998–2000 cohorts reveals that the probability of dropping out depended on both the medical school attended and the personal characteristics of the student, including academic preparedness. Almost none of the increase in the dropout rate between the 2 cohort groups can be explained by changes in observable characteristics of the students over this period. Instead, most of the increase in the dropout rate is associated with changes at the level of the institution and in unobserved student characteristics. Conclusions University effects, rather than changes in observed student characteristics, explain most of the increased dropout rate over the time period considered. Candidate explanations behind these effects include: less effective admissions policies; changing curricula; greater costs of attending medical school, and a growing mismatch between student and school characteristics. Testing between these competing hypotheses is left for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the 1997 Report of the Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee, it is important that we develop an understanding of the factors influencing medical school retention rates. To analyse the determinants of the probability that an individual medical student will drop out of medical school during their first year of study. Binomial and multinomial logistic regression analysis of individual-level administrative data on 51 810 students in 21 medical schools in the UK for the intake cohorts of 1980–92 was performed. The overall average first year dropout rate over the period 1980–92 was calculated to be 3.8%. We found that the probability that a student would drop out of medical school during their first year of study was influenced significantly by both the subjects studied at A-level and by the scores achieved. For example, achieving 1 grade higher in biology, chemistry or physics reduced the dropout probability by 0.38% points, equivalent to a fall of 10%. We also found that males were about 8% more likely to drop out than females. The medical school attended also had a significant effect on the estimated dropout probability. Indicators of both the social class and the previous school background of the student were largely insignificant. Policies aimed at increasing the size of the medical student intake in the UK and of widening access to students from non-traditional backgrounds should be informed by evidence that student dropout probabilities are sensitive to measures of A-level attainment, such as subject studied and scores achieved. If traditional entry requirements or standards are relaxed, then this is likely to have detrimental effects on medical schools' retention rates unless accompanied by appropriate measures such as focussed student support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From individual level longitudinal data for two entire cohorts of medical students in UK universities, we use multilevel models to analyse the probability that an individual student will drop out of medical school. We find that academic preparedness—both in terms of previous subjects studied and levels of attainment therein—is the major influence on withdrawal by medical students. Additionally, males and more mature students are more likely to withdraw than females or younger students respectively. We find evidence that the factors influencing the decision to transfer course differ from those affecting the decision to drop out for other reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces papers in the November 2001 issue of "The Economic Journal" about the scarring effect of unemployment in the case of British men during the 1980s and 1990s. The papers by W. Arulampalam, and M. Gregory and R. Jukes examine wage scarring, the effect of unemployment on subsequent wages. While the paper of P. Gregg examines the effect of unemployment on subsequent unemployment. Both authors used the generalization of the methodology most commonly referred to as difference-in-difference estimation. Arulampalam used a sample constructed from the British Household Panel Survey while Gregory and Jukes used a very large sample constructed from an administrative dataset.

Joblessness leaves permanent scars on individuals. They not only lose income during periods of joblessness they are also further scarred by these experiences when they find employment. A spell of unemployment is found to carry a wage penalty of about 6% on re-entry in Britain, and after three years, they are earning 14% less compared to what they would have received in the absence of unemployment. The scars are also carried into their second employment spell. The first spell of joblessness is found to cause the most damage. Redundancy seems to be less stigmatising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates the impact of work-related training on wage growth over the period 1981–91, using longitudinal data from the National Child Development Study, a cohort of young men aged 23 in 1981. A hurdle Negbin model is used to control for training endogeneity. We find that training incidence has a significant positive effect on wage growth. We also find that young men with a higher level of education are not only more likely to be trained, but are also more likely to experience substantially higher wage growth as a result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study that estimated the determinants of membership in male trade unions from 1981 to 1991 in Great Britain. Use of data from the National Child Development Study; Methodology of the study; Results and discussion; Conclusions.

Estimates dynamic panel data models of unemployment incidence for men using the British Household Panel Survey. Econometric issues concerning unobserved individual heterogeneity; Implications of an individual's previous unemployment experience for his future labor market experience; Longer-run effects of policies reducing short run unemployment incidence.

Explores the nexus between work-related training and labour market flexibility using the first five wave of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) conducted over the period 1991-95. Relationship between general education and subsequent training; Inequality in access to work-related training; Lack of involvement in any work-related training to improve skills by short-term employees.

This paper, the first study of its kind to-date carried out for the UK, is concerned with the scale and determinants of charitable givings by large corporate donors in the UK. The investigation is carried out using pooled information on 53 companies over the 8 years from 1979 to 1986 during which period the rate of corporation tax fell from 52% to 35%. A result of particular interest is that contributions were related positively to the rate of tax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the British Household Panel Survey, we estimate the impact of the national minimum wage, introduced in April 1999, on the work-related training of low-wage workers. We use two ‘treatment groups’– those workers who explicitly stated they were affected by the new minimum and those workers whose derived 1998 wages were below the minimum. Using difference-in-differences techniques for the period 1998 to 2000, we find no evidence that the introduction of the minimum wage reduced the training of affected workers and some evidence that it increased it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between health care expenditure and health outcomes has been the subject of recent academic inquiry in order to inform cost-effectiveness thresholds for health technology assessment agencies. Previous studies in public health systems have relied upon data aggregated at the national or regional level; however, there remains debate about whether the supply side effect of changes to expenditure are identifiable using data at this level of aggregation. We use detailed patient data derived from electronic neonatal records across England along with routinely available cost data to estimate the effect of changes to patient expenditure on clinical health outcomes in a well-defined patient population. A panel of 32 neonatal intensive care units for the period 2009-2013 was constructed. Accounting for the potential endogeneity of expenditure a £100 increase in the cost per intensive care cot day (sample average cost: £1,127) is estimated to reduce the risk of mortality of 0.38 percentage points (sample average mortality: 11.0%) in neonatal intensive care. This translates into a cost per life saved in neonatal intensive care of approximately £420,000., (Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)