TY  - JOUR
AU  - Bound,John
TI  - Self-Reported vs. Objective Measures of Health in Retirement Models
JF  - National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series
VL  - No. 2997
PY  - 1989
Y2  - June 1989
UR  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w2997
L1  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w2997.pdf
N1  - Author contact info:
John Bound
Department of Economics
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1220
Tel: 734/998-7149
Fax: 734/998-7415
E-Mail: jbound@umich.edu
AB  - Labor supply estimates are sensitive to the measures of health used. When self reported measures are used health seems to playa larger role and economic factors a smaller one than when more objective measures are used" While most authors have interpreted these results as an indication of the biases inherent in using self-reported measures, there are reasons to be suspicious of estimates based on more objective measures as well. In this paper I construct a statistical model incorporating both self-reported and objective measures of health. I use the model to show the potential biases involved in using either measure of health or in using one to instrument the other- When outside information on the validity of self-reported measures of health are incorporated into the model estimates suggest that the self-reported measures of health perform better than many have believed.
ER  -