Search Publications

Perceived Discrimination Among Migrants in Germany: Does Social Capital Moderate Harmful Effects on Mental Health?

Background The harmful mental health effects of perceived discrimination for migrant populations are well established. The potential buffering effect of regional-level social capital, however, has not previously been explored. Methods Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP; 2009–2018) we apply multilevel models to assess the effect of frequent or infrequent perceived discrimination on ...

The Non-linear Impact of Risk Tolerance on Entrepreneurial Profit and Business Survival

Entrepreneurs tend to be risk tolerant but is higher risk tolerance always better? In a sample of about 2100 small businesses, we find an inverted U-shaped relation between risk tolerance and profitability. This relationship holds in a simple bilateral regression, and even after controlling for a large set of individual and business characteristics. Apparently, one major transmission goes from risk ...

Euro Area Inflation Differentials: The Role of Fiscal Policies Revisited

Flexible Nuclear Power and Fluctuating Renewables? An Analysis for Decarbonized Multi-Vector Energy Systems

Many governments consider new nuclear power plants to promote decarbonization. On the one hand, dispatchable nuclear plants can complement fluctuating generation from wind and PV. On the other hand, escalating construction costs and times raise economic concerns. This paper investigates the economic threshold at which nuclear plants are an efficient decarbonization option. Building on an extensive ...

Asylum Seekers and Host Country Mental Health: Evidence from Germany and Switzerland

Due to recent conflicts and humanitarian issues, millions of people have sought asylum in countries in Europe. The influx of asylum seekers has sparked debates about the impacts of such migratory flows on resident populations. We study how the recent migration of these forcibly displaced people into Europe affects the mental health of the receiving country residents in Switzerland and Germany. We exploit ...

Out for Good: Transitory and Persistent Labor Market Effects of Heterogeneous Health Shocks

We propose a novel method to detect and disentangle moderate and severe health shocks in a general population survey based on a data-driven classification of sickness absences and hospitalizations. Both types of shocks are widespread with an annual incidence of about 1.7%, which rises steeply with age. We estimate the effects of both shocks on labor market outcomes and find that severe shocks have ...

On Strategic Behavior in Electricity Markets during the 2022 Energy Crisis: An Ex-post Analysis for the German Power Sector

During the 2022 energy crisis, electricity prices across Europe have risen to unprecedented heights. In a case study for Germany, this work investigates to which extent price spikes can be attributed to changes in upstream commodity prices, and to which degree strategic behavior by generators may have contributed to the situation. Electricity markets are more prone to the effects of such behavior if ...

Primary Healthcare Models for Refugees Involving Nurses: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis

Introduction Primary healthcare (PHC) is key to addressing the health and social needs of refugees. Nurses are often part of multidisciplinary teams in PHC, but little is known about their roles and responsibilities in refugee healthcare. We aimed to synthesise the existing knowledge about models of care (MoC) for refugees in primary care settings which involve nursing professionals.Methods Systematic ...

Health System Resilience in the Context of Forced Migration: A Qualitative Framework Analysis of Germany’s Crisis Responses in 2015 and 2020

BackgroundHealth system resilience, the ability of a health system to maintain its functions under stress, has received increasing attention in recent years. Shortcomings in health system resilience are often most visible in the most vulnerable settings, including the care for asylum seekers and refugees. We therefore examined how the German health system responded to challenges and uncertainties during ...

Impact of Social Isolation on Mental Health Changes by Socio-Economic Status: A Moderated Mediation Analysis among Non-migrant, Migrant, and Refugee Subpopulations in Germany, 2016–2020

Background: Populations experiencing precarity face heightened mental health inequities, especially during crises. In this regard, it is established that socio-economic status (SES) and social isolation are critical factors influencing mental health outcomes, which interact syndemically. Understanding their interrelated mechanisms is crucial for developing effective public health strategies to support ...