Health and Labor Market Performance: The Case of Diabetes

This article documents improvements in diabetic labor market performance. Three cross-sectional data sets, from 1976, 1989, and 1992, are used to study trends in diabetic employment and earnings prospects. Results show that the labor force participation of diabetic women has significantly increased between 1976 and 1992, relative to diabetic men and nondiabetics. Results also indicate that relative to nondiabetic family heads of households, the income of the diabetic family has increased. These findings suggest that medical advance and technological change have helped to reduce the probability and effects of diabetic complications.