Population Studies and Training Center

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Emily Oster

Professor of Economics
emily_oster@brown.edu
Research Interests Development Economics, Health
Affiliated Department Department of Economics

Biography

Emily Oster joined Brown University and the PSTC in 2015. She currently serves as a Faculty Research Fellow for the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Oster studies health and development economics. She has worked on issues of demand for medical testing (“Optimal Expectations and Limited Medical Testing: Evidence from Huntington Disease”) and the consequences of health information for behavior. 

Oster's work extends to studying HIV in the developing world (“HIV and Sexual Behavior Change: Why not Africa?”), as well as issues of gender inequality (“The Power of TV: Cable Television and Women's Status in India”).

Publications

"Why is Infant Mortality in the US Higher than in Europe?" with Alice Chen and Heidi Williams. American Economic Journal: Policy, May 2016.

“Do IT Service Centers Promote School Enrollment? Evidence from India,” with Bryce Millett. Journal of Development Economics, September 2013.

“Limited Life Expectancy, Human Capital and Health Investments,” with Ray Dorsey and Ira Shoulson. American Economic Review, August 2013.

“Routes of Infection: Exports and HIV Incidence in Sub-Saharan Africa,” Journal of the European Economic Association, October 2012.

Recent News

The New York Times

Let’s Stop Getting Distracted From This Crucial Question About Exercise

It can control high blood pressure, improve mental health and reduce falls among older adults. A review of 187 randomized controlled trials covering nearly 30,000 people found exercise lowered mortality risk by 13 percent. Given the fact that people struggle to stick with exercise, the crucial question is: How can we design fitness programs that maximize long-term adherence?
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PBS News

So you want to increase your country’s birth rate? Experts say it’s tough

For years, people concerned about falling birth rates have warned of the economic consequences of population decline. When a country falls below replacement-level fertility, its aging population will surpass the new, younger generation, shrinking the labor force and straining the national economy with increased costs of elder care, retirement benefits and medical services.
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The Wall Street Journal

Why Americans Aren’t Having Babies

The costs and rising expectations of parenthood are making young people think hard about having any children at all.
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