Research Article

Reporting sick: are sporting events contagious?

  1. Peter Skogman Thoursie*

Article first published online: 22 NOV 2004

DOI: 10.1002/jae.758

Issue

Journal of Applied Econometrics

Journal of Applied Econometrics

Special Issue: The Econometrics of Social Insurance

Volume 19, Issue 6, pages 809–823, 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Thoursie, P. S. (2004), Reporting sick: are sporting events contagious?. J. Appl. Econ., 19: 809–823. doi: 10.1002/jae.758

Author Information

  1. Department of Economics, Stockholm University, Sweden, and National Social Insurance Board, Sweden

*Department of Economics, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 22 NOV 2004
  2. Article first published online: 22 NOV 2004
  3. Manuscript Revised: 31 JUL 2003
  4. Manuscript Received: 7 JUL 2003

Funded by

  • Swedish Research Council.

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Abstract

Moral hazard is easy to justify theoretically but difficult to detect empirically. Individuals may report sick due to illness as well as for moral hazard reasons. Potential abuse of the sickness insurance system in Sweden is estimated by comparing the change between the number of men and women who report sick during a popular sporting event and a preceding time period. Difference-in-differences estimates provide clear evidence that the number of men who reported sick increased in order to watch the sporting event on television. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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