Indian Development Policy Review

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of prescription opioids on the overall labor force participation rate. Using county-level data for the states hardest hit by opioid overdose deaths in the year 2015, this paper empirically explores the effect of the opioid prescription rate on the aggregate labor force participation rate in the United States. It is critical to understand why America’s labor force is shrinking because declining labor force participation coupled with demographic aging poses a major challenge for future U.S. economic growth. The year 2015, defined by the lowest labor force participation rate in nearly 40 years and the steep rise in the quantity of opioids prescribed, provides a unique opportunity to study the labor market impact of prescription opioids. To the best of my knowledge, no previous studies have used cross-section data for the year 2015 to analyze the relationship. A regression model is then developed that accounts for clustering. Appropriate tests and allowances are made for clustered data. The paper also computes the impact of declining labor force participation on U.S. economic growth for the 2000-2015 period. Results indicate that the effect of the opioid prescription rate on the overall labor force participation rate is negative and statistically significant. Furthermore, this analysis reveals that declining labor force participation significantly weakened the U.S. economy over the 2000-2015 period.

Keywords: Labor force participation, prescription opioids, opioid overdose, economic growth, clustered data.
JEL Classifications: J2, O4, I1.

Though allopathic treatments and medicines are widespread and often sought in India, the indigenous non-allopathic systems of medicine are also extensively practised and sought for treatment, at least commonly for non-curable ill health. The increasing healthcare costs of the modern corporate type of hospitals and the less expensiveness of local herbal medicines drive the use of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) hospitals for treatments of chronic diseases, acute illness episodes, maternity health care and catastrophic health expenditure. Within the AYUSH healthcare system, there are state-wise differentials in the use of AYUSH systems of medicine. This paper analyses the demand for the AYUSH healthcare system in India using the 68th round (2011-2012) of NSSO data for the four southern states of India, applying the multinomial logit method to estimate the number of visits to the AYUSH hospitals by household members. The estimated results show that the relative probability of choosing the AYUSH treatment and the number of visits to AYUSH hospitals is influenced significantly by the cost of medical expenditure, wealth/income/landholding, household size and composition and region. The occupation, household headship and community of the household have no significant effect on the use of AYUSH hospital healthcare in southern India.

Keywords: Healthcare, medical expenditure, indigeno.

This study examines Nigeria-South Africa economic activities in the context of climate change. Globally, drivers of economic performance are largely sensitive to climate change. The effects of climate change are not limited to developed economies. The developing countries have also been perturbed by the rising costs of environmental degradation on the different sectors of the economy, especially, the overall output performance of the economy. We attempt to examine the level of output growth with varying intensities of climate change over the period 1990–2021 in Nigeria and South Africa. We develop a time-varying transition Switching model characterized by two regimes. Using the Regime Switching Approach, emissions have increasing effects on output growth. The results from the two-regime process showed the impacts of economic activities in Nigeria and South Africa affect CO2 emissions differently. While changes in output production tend to contributes to CO2 emissions more in Nigeria, the converse is the case for South Africa. Further, the transition probability of output affecting emissions occurs and stayed longer in the second regime in both countries. Based on the findings, switching to renewable energy is important for both countries to foster economic growth while mitigating the long-term effects of CO2 emissions. Policy transmission mechanism needs be strengthen in Nigeria for policy effectiveness. If South Africa sustained the present drive towards renewable energy drive and policy articulation, mitigation efforts will be achieved rapidly. Finally, energy transition is paramount to the attainment of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

Keywords: Economic growth, Climate change, Nigerian, South Africa, Regimes.
JEL classification: C01, C11, Q54, O47,

Women population constitute almost half of the world and they contribute a lot in the development of the economies. In developing economies such roles become even more important because the developing economies are running for achieving higher rates of growth and in this regard the roles of women cannot be neglected. For this purpose, women empowerment is even more important for transforming the economies. This paper considers all those aspects by which women ca be and should be empowered in developing economies and what effects it can have on the overall development of the economy. The paper goes on to discuss the barriers that hinder such growth and by the help of few case studies the paper discusses how such barriers can be overcome. The paper finally concludes with several policy suggestions that can change the whole scenario where women, in developing economies, will not only be empowered and enriched at par with men but they will contribute a lot in the national progress.