title: Effectiveness of state-level vaccination mandates: evidence from the varicella vaccine.
abstract: This paper utilizes longitudinal data on varicella (chickenpox) immunizations in order to estimate the causal effects of state-level school-entry and daycare-entry immunization mandates within the United States. We find significant causal effects of mandates upon vaccination rates among preschool children aged 19-35 months; these effects appear in the year of mandate adoption, peak two years after adoption, and show a minimal difference from the aggregate trend about six years after adoption. For a mandate enacted in 2000, the model and estimates imply that roughly 20% of the short-run increase in state-level immunization rates was caused by the mandate introduction. We find no evidence of differential effects for different socioeconomic groups. Combined with previous cost-benefit analyses of the varicella vaccine, the estimates suggest that state-level mandates have been effective from an economic standpoint.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Economics, 1 University Station C3100, Austin, TX 78712, USA. abrevaya@eco.utexas.edu
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abrevaya
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mulligan
mesh_terms: D002644:Chickenpox / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D037141:Mandatory Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000191:economics; D012574:Schools; D013219:State Government; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
chemical_list: D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine