Faculty Research Fellows Talk with Petra Persson

Petra Persson: "The Menopause Penalty'

Menopause is a major biological shock to women, marking the end of their reproductive years. Despite its relevance, scant research has studied how menopause impacts social dynamics, labor market outcomes, or health care demand. Using high-quality linked national register administrative data from Norway and Sweden, combined with a stacked difference-in-differences design, Professor Persson estimates the effect of menopause diagnosis on employment and earnings, reliance on social safety net programs, and demand for medical care. She finds that menopause affects a broad swath of women’s lives, ranging from a temporary increase in visits to doctors, to a persistent decline in full-time employment and earnings, and an increased receipt of social transfers. The results suggest that policies aimed at supporting women who suffer more serious symptoms around the menopausal transition may have wide-ranging benefits.

Petra Persson is Assistant Professor of Economics.

Clayman Faculty Affiliates are welcome to attend the lunch seminars.  All Stanford academics are eligible to become Clayman Institute Faculty Affiliates. Please RSVP to Lea Gottlieb (lgottlie [at] stanford.edu (lgottlie[at]stanford[dot]edu)) if you wish to attend.