Sacred Heart University

Assistant Professor, Department of Business Economics and Finance

Courses Include:
EC202: Principles of Microeconomics
EC203: Principles of Macroeconomics
EC320: Health Economics
EC313: Managerial Economics
WGB519-LX: Introduction to Business Economics (MBA, Luxembourg)
WGB520-LX: Introduction to Economics & Statistics (MBA, Luxembourg)

EconJourney

Story Coach

Content Development for 'EconJourney,' a site linking game design with learning. The site is designed to coach students through the development of their own narrative. Throughout the 'EconJourney' students are introduced to economic concepts and asked to apply them within their narratives addressing problems of scarcity, supply and demand, market power, etc. By actively participating in the creation of the content, students learn each concept in a more meaningful way than through memorization and recitation.

University of New Hampshire

Lecturer, Department of Economics

Courses Taught:
EC401: Principles of Macroeconomics
EC402: Principles of Microeconomics
EC402BB: Principles of Microeconomics (Online)

Water system unreliability and diarrhea incidence among children in Guatemala

International Journal of Public Health

OBJECTIVES: This article examines the effect of water system unreliability on diarrhea incidence among children aged 0-5 in Guatemala. METHODS: We use secondary data from a nationally representative sample of 7579 children to estimate the effects of uninterrupted and interrupted water services on diarrhea incidence. The national scope of this study imposes some methodological challenges due to unobserved geographical heterogeneity. To address this issue, we estimate mixed-effects logit models that control for unobserved heterogeneity by estimating random effects of selected covariates that can vary across geographical areas (i.e. water system reliability). RESULTS: Compared to children without access to piped water, children with uninterrupted water services have a lower probability of diarrhea incidence by approximately 33 percentage points. Conversely, there is no differential effect between children without access and those with at least one day of service interruptions in the previous month. Results also confirm negative effects of age, female gender, spanish language, and garbage disposal on diarrhea incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Public health benefits of piped water are realized through uninterrupted provision of service, not merely access. Policy implications are discussed

Water system unreliability and diarrhea incidence among children in Guatemala

International Journal of Public Health

OBJECTIVES: This article examines the effect of water system unreliability on diarrhea incidence among children aged 0-5 in Guatemala. METHODS: We use secondary data from a nationally representative sample of 7579 children to estimate the effects of uninterrupted and interrupted water services on diarrhea incidence. The national scope of this study imposes some methodological challenges due to unobserved geographical heterogeneity. To address this issue, we estimate mixed-effects logit models that control for unobserved heterogeneity by estimating random effects of selected covariates that can vary across geographical areas (i.e. water system reliability). RESULTS: Compared to children without access to piped water, children with uninterrupted water services have a lower probability of diarrhea incidence by approximately 33 percentage points. Conversely, there is no differential effect between children without access and those with at least one day of service interruptions in the previous month. Results also confirm negative effects of age, female gender, spanish language, and garbage disposal on diarrhea incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Public health benefits of piped water are realized through uninterrupted provision of service, not merely access. Policy implications are discussed

Soaking Up the Sun: The Complicated Role of Sunshine in the Production of Infant Health

American Journal of Health Economics

This research explores the role of sunshine in birth outcomes production, focusing primarily on fetal growth. The most obvious mechanism is through vitamin D absorption, which could explain racial disparities in birth weight because skin pigmentation inhibits this process. However, sunshine may have additional effects and is closely connected to environmental factors, season of birth, and geography. Combining daily weather data with 1989–2004 birth outcomes from the Natality Detail Files, we estimate sunshine's effects in a range of models that disentangle these confounding factors. Our results suggest that sunshine has a positive but diminishing effect on birth weight for blacks and a negative effect for whites. These findings are consistent with the presumed positive but diminishing effects of sunshine via vitamin D balanced against the possible negative effects via folic acid depletion and immune system impairment. The estimated magnitudes are in line with those found for other key factors such as feeding programs and air pollution and suggest that sunshine's effects explain a nontrivial portion of racial differences in birth weight. Implications include possible interventions (vitamin supplementation for blacks, sun avoidance for whites) and the need to include sunshine as a potentially important factor in birth outcomes research.

Water system unreliability and diarrhea incidence among children in Guatemala

International Journal of Public Health

OBJECTIVES: This article examines the effect of water system unreliability on diarrhea incidence among children aged 0-5 in Guatemala. METHODS: We use secondary data from a nationally representative sample of 7579 children to estimate the effects of uninterrupted and interrupted water services on diarrhea incidence. The national scope of this study imposes some methodological challenges due to unobserved geographical heterogeneity. To address this issue, we estimate mixed-effects logit models that control for unobserved heterogeneity by estimating random effects of selected covariates that can vary across geographical areas (i.e. water system reliability). RESULTS: Compared to children without access to piped water, children with uninterrupted water services have a lower probability of diarrhea incidence by approximately 33 percentage points. Conversely, there is no differential effect between children without access and those with at least one day of service interruptions in the previous month. Results also confirm negative effects of age, female gender, spanish language, and garbage disposal on diarrhea incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Public health benefits of piped water are realized through uninterrupted provision of service, not merely access. Policy implications are discussed

Soaking Up the Sun: The Complicated Role of Sunshine in the Production of Infant Health

American Journal of Health Economics

This research explores the role of sunshine in birth outcomes production, focusing primarily on fetal growth. The most obvious mechanism is through vitamin D absorption, which could explain racial disparities in birth weight because skin pigmentation inhibits this process. However, sunshine may have additional effects and is closely connected to environmental factors, season of birth, and geography. Combining daily weather data with 1989–2004 birth outcomes from the Natality Detail Files, we estimate sunshine's effects in a range of models that disentangle these confounding factors. Our results suggest that sunshine has a positive but diminishing effect on birth weight for blacks and a negative effect for whites. These findings are consistent with the presumed positive but diminishing effects of sunshine via vitamin D balanced against the possible negative effects via folic acid depletion and immune system impairment. The estimated magnitudes are in line with those found for other key factors such as feeding programs and air pollution and suggest that sunshine's effects explain a nontrivial portion of racial differences in birth weight. Implications include possible interventions (vitamin supplementation for blacks, sun avoidance for whites) and the need to include sunshine as a potentially important factor in birth outcomes research.

The role of new media on teen sexual behaviors and fertility outcomes—the case of 16 and Pregnant

Southern Economic Journal / Wiley

Water system unreliability and diarrhea incidence among children in Guatemala

International Journal of Public Health

OBJECTIVES: This article examines the effect of water system unreliability on diarrhea incidence among children aged 0-5 in Guatemala. METHODS: We use secondary data from a nationally representative sample of 7579 children to estimate the effects of uninterrupted and interrupted water services on diarrhea incidence. The national scope of this study imposes some methodological challenges due to unobserved geographical heterogeneity. To address this issue, we estimate mixed-effects logit models that control for unobserved heterogeneity by estimating random effects of selected covariates that can vary across geographical areas (i.e. water system reliability). RESULTS: Compared to children without access to piped water, children with uninterrupted water services have a lower probability of diarrhea incidence by approximately 33 percentage points. Conversely, there is no differential effect between children without access and those with at least one day of service interruptions in the previous month. Results also confirm negative effects of age, female gender, spanish language, and garbage disposal on diarrhea incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Public health benefits of piped water are realized through uninterrupted provision of service, not merely access. Policy implications are discussed

Soaking Up the Sun: The Complicated Role of Sunshine in the Production of Infant Health

American Journal of Health Economics

This research explores the role of sunshine in birth outcomes production, focusing primarily on fetal growth. The most obvious mechanism is through vitamin D absorption, which could explain racial disparities in birth weight because skin pigmentation inhibits this process. However, sunshine may have additional effects and is closely connected to environmental factors, season of birth, and geography. Combining daily weather data with 1989–2004 birth outcomes from the Natality Detail Files, we estimate sunshine's effects in a range of models that disentangle these confounding factors. Our results suggest that sunshine has a positive but diminishing effect on birth weight for blacks and a negative effect for whites. These findings are consistent with the presumed positive but diminishing effects of sunshine via vitamin D balanced against the possible negative effects via folic acid depletion and immune system impairment. The estimated magnitudes are in line with those found for other key factors such as feeding programs and air pollution and suggest that sunshine's effects explain a nontrivial portion of racial differences in birth weight. Implications include possible interventions (vitamin supplementation for blacks, sun avoidance for whites) and the need to include sunshine as a potentially important factor in birth outcomes research.

The role of new media on teen sexual behaviors and fertility outcomes—the case of 16 and Pregnant

Southern Economic Journal / Wiley

Routine versus Clinically Indicated Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Replacement: An Evidence-based Practice Project

Journal of Infusion Nursing

Abstract: Despite current, high-quality, level 1 evidence that supports clinically indicated short peripheral catheter (SPC) replacement, the current practice in the health care system studied was to change SPCs routinely every 96 hours. A before-and-after design was used to evaluate the impact of SPC replacement when clinically indicated. Following the practice change, there were no SPC-related infections, monthly phlebitis rates ranged from 1.9% to 3.5%, and SPC use decreased by 14.2%, resulting in estimated cost savings of $2100 and 70 hours of nursing time saved. The translation of evidence on timing of SPC replacement into practice was a success.

Water system unreliability and diarrhea incidence among children in Guatemala

International Journal of Public Health

OBJECTIVES: This article examines the effect of water system unreliability on diarrhea incidence among children aged 0-5 in Guatemala. METHODS: We use secondary data from a nationally representative sample of 7579 children to estimate the effects of uninterrupted and interrupted water services on diarrhea incidence. The national scope of this study imposes some methodological challenges due to unobserved geographical heterogeneity. To address this issue, we estimate mixed-effects logit models that control for unobserved heterogeneity by estimating random effects of selected covariates that can vary across geographical areas (i.e. water system reliability). RESULTS: Compared to children without access to piped water, children with uninterrupted water services have a lower probability of diarrhea incidence by approximately 33 percentage points. Conversely, there is no differential effect between children without access and those with at least one day of service interruptions in the previous month. Results also confirm negative effects of age, female gender, spanish language, and garbage disposal on diarrhea incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Public health benefits of piped water are realized through uninterrupted provision of service, not merely access. Policy implications are discussed

Soaking Up the Sun: The Complicated Role of Sunshine in the Production of Infant Health

American Journal of Health Economics

This research explores the role of sunshine in birth outcomes production, focusing primarily on fetal growth. The most obvious mechanism is through vitamin D absorption, which could explain racial disparities in birth weight because skin pigmentation inhibits this process. However, sunshine may have additional effects and is closely connected to environmental factors, season of birth, and geography. Combining daily weather data with 1989–2004 birth outcomes from the Natality Detail Files, we estimate sunshine's effects in a range of models that disentangle these confounding factors. Our results suggest that sunshine has a positive but diminishing effect on birth weight for blacks and a negative effect for whites. These findings are consistent with the presumed positive but diminishing effects of sunshine via vitamin D balanced against the possible negative effects via folic acid depletion and immune system impairment. The estimated magnitudes are in line with those found for other key factors such as feeding programs and air pollution and suggest that sunshine's effects explain a nontrivial portion of racial differences in birth weight. Implications include possible interventions (vitamin supplementation for blacks, sun avoidance for whites) and the need to include sunshine as a potentially important factor in birth outcomes research.

The role of new media on teen sexual behaviors and fertility outcomes—the case of 16 and Pregnant

Southern Economic Journal / Wiley

Routine versus Clinically Indicated Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Replacement: An Evidence-based Practice Project

Journal of Infusion Nursing

Abstract: Despite current, high-quality, level 1 evidence that supports clinically indicated short peripheral catheter (SPC) replacement, the current practice in the health care system studied was to change SPCs routinely every 96 hours. A before-and-after design was used to evaluate the impact of SPC replacement when clinically indicated. Following the practice change, there were no SPC-related infections, monthly phlebitis rates ranged from 1.9% to 3.5%, and SPC use decreased by 14.2%, resulting in estimated cost savings of $2100 and 70 hours of nursing time saved. The translation of evidence on timing of SPC replacement into practice was a success.

The Effects of Young Adult Dependent Coverage & Contraception Mandates on Young Women

Contemporary Economic Policy

This research investigates two features of the Affordable Care Act that especially affect young adults, the young adult‐dependent coverage (YAD) mandate and the requirement to cover contraception (CM). Both mandates were first enacted at the state level but have been studied only in isolation. We estimate a wide range of models allowing these mandates to have joint effects on insurance coverage, health‐care access, health outcomes and fertility. We provide new evidence that helps settle the mixed findings from past state‐level YAD and CM research and suggests the two mandates may combine to improve the well‐being of young adults. (JEL I18, I12, H75)

Water system unreliability and diarrhea incidence among children in Guatemala

International Journal of Public Health

OBJECTIVES: This article examines the effect of water system unreliability on diarrhea incidence among children aged 0-5 in Guatemala. METHODS: We use secondary data from a nationally representative sample of 7579 children to estimate the effects of uninterrupted and interrupted water services on diarrhea incidence. The national scope of this study imposes some methodological challenges due to unobserved geographical heterogeneity. To address this issue, we estimate mixed-effects logit models that control for unobserved heterogeneity by estimating random effects of selected covariates that can vary across geographical areas (i.e. water system reliability). RESULTS: Compared to children without access to piped water, children with uninterrupted water services have a lower probability of diarrhea incidence by approximately 33 percentage points. Conversely, there is no differential effect between children without access and those with at least one day of service interruptions in the previous month. Results also confirm negative effects of age, female gender, spanish language, and garbage disposal on diarrhea incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Public health benefits of piped water are realized through uninterrupted provision of service, not merely access. Policy implications are discussed

Soaking Up the Sun: The Complicated Role of Sunshine in the Production of Infant Health

American Journal of Health Economics

This research explores the role of sunshine in birth outcomes production, focusing primarily on fetal growth. The most obvious mechanism is through vitamin D absorption, which could explain racial disparities in birth weight because skin pigmentation inhibits this process. However, sunshine may have additional effects and is closely connected to environmental factors, season of birth, and geography. Combining daily weather data with 1989–2004 birth outcomes from the Natality Detail Files, we estimate sunshine's effects in a range of models that disentangle these confounding factors. Our results suggest that sunshine has a positive but diminishing effect on birth weight for blacks and a negative effect for whites. These findings are consistent with the presumed positive but diminishing effects of sunshine via vitamin D balanced against the possible negative effects via folic acid depletion and immune system impairment. The estimated magnitudes are in line with those found for other key factors such as feeding programs and air pollution and suggest that sunshine's effects explain a nontrivial portion of racial differences in birth weight. Implications include possible interventions (vitamin supplementation for blacks, sun avoidance for whites) and the need to include sunshine as a potentially important factor in birth outcomes research.

The role of new media on teen sexual behaviors and fertility outcomes—the case of 16 and Pregnant

Southern Economic Journal / Wiley

Routine versus Clinically Indicated Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Replacement: An Evidence-based Practice Project

Journal of Infusion Nursing

Abstract: Despite current, high-quality, level 1 evidence that supports clinically indicated short peripheral catheter (SPC) replacement, the current practice in the health care system studied was to change SPCs routinely every 96 hours. A before-and-after design was used to evaluate the impact of SPC replacement when clinically indicated. Following the practice change, there were no SPC-related infections, monthly phlebitis rates ranged from 1.9% to 3.5%, and SPC use decreased by 14.2%, resulting in estimated cost savings of $2100 and 70 hours of nursing time saved. The translation of evidence on timing of SPC replacement into practice was a success.

The Effects of Young Adult Dependent Coverage & Contraception Mandates on Young Women

Contemporary Economic Policy

This research investigates two features of the Affordable Care Act that especially affect young adults, the young adult‐dependent coverage (YAD) mandate and the requirement to cover contraception (CM). Both mandates were first enacted at the state level but have been studied only in isolation. We estimate a wide range of models allowing these mandates to have joint effects on insurance coverage, health‐care access, health outcomes and fertility. We provide new evidence that helps settle the mixed findings from past state‐level YAD and CM research and suggests the two mandates may combine to improve the well‐being of young adults. (JEL I18, I12, H75)

Can User Perception Influence the Quality of Water Services? Evidence from Leon, Nicaragua

International Review of Administrative Sciences

Water system unreliability and diarrhea incidence among children in Guatemala

International Journal of Public Health

OBJECTIVES: This article examines the effect of water system unreliability on diarrhea incidence among children aged 0-5 in Guatemala. METHODS: We use secondary data from a nationally representative sample of 7579 children to estimate the effects of uninterrupted and interrupted water services on diarrhea incidence. The national scope of this study imposes some methodological challenges due to unobserved geographical heterogeneity. To address this issue, we estimate mixed-effects logit models that control for unobserved heterogeneity by estimating random effects of selected covariates that can vary across geographical areas (i.e. water system reliability). RESULTS: Compared to children without access to piped water, children with uninterrupted water services have a lower probability of diarrhea incidence by approximately 33 percentage points. Conversely, there is no differential effect between children without access and those with at least one day of service interruptions in the previous month. Results also confirm negative effects of age, female gender, spanish language, and garbage disposal on diarrhea incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Public health benefits of piped water are realized through uninterrupted provision of service, not merely access. Policy implications are discussed

Soaking Up the Sun: The Complicated Role of Sunshine in the Production of Infant Health

American Journal of Health Economics

This research explores the role of sunshine in birth outcomes production, focusing primarily on fetal growth. The most obvious mechanism is through vitamin D absorption, which could explain racial disparities in birth weight because skin pigmentation inhibits this process. However, sunshine may have additional effects and is closely connected to environmental factors, season of birth, and geography. Combining daily weather data with 1989–2004 birth outcomes from the Natality Detail Files, we estimate sunshine's effects in a range of models that disentangle these confounding factors. Our results suggest that sunshine has a positive but diminishing effect on birth weight for blacks and a negative effect for whites. These findings are consistent with the presumed positive but diminishing effects of sunshine via vitamin D balanced against the possible negative effects via folic acid depletion and immune system impairment. The estimated magnitudes are in line with those found for other key factors such as feeding programs and air pollution and suggest that sunshine's effects explain a nontrivial portion of racial differences in birth weight. Implications include possible interventions (vitamin supplementation for blacks, sun avoidance for whites) and the need to include sunshine as a potentially important factor in birth outcomes research.

The role of new media on teen sexual behaviors and fertility outcomes—the case of 16 and Pregnant

Southern Economic Journal / Wiley

Routine versus Clinically Indicated Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Replacement: An Evidence-based Practice Project

Journal of Infusion Nursing

Abstract: Despite current, high-quality, level 1 evidence that supports clinically indicated short peripheral catheter (SPC) replacement, the current practice in the health care system studied was to change SPCs routinely every 96 hours. A before-and-after design was used to evaluate the impact of SPC replacement when clinically indicated. Following the practice change, there were no SPC-related infections, monthly phlebitis rates ranged from 1.9% to 3.5%, and SPC use decreased by 14.2%, resulting in estimated cost savings of $2100 and 70 hours of nursing time saved. The translation of evidence on timing of SPC replacement into practice was a success.

The Effects of Young Adult Dependent Coverage & Contraception Mandates on Young Women

Contemporary Economic Policy

This research investigates two features of the Affordable Care Act that especially affect young adults, the young adult‐dependent coverage (YAD) mandate and the requirement to cover contraception (CM). Both mandates were first enacted at the state level but have been studied only in isolation. We estimate a wide range of models allowing these mandates to have joint effects on insurance coverage, health‐care access, health outcomes and fertility. We provide new evidence that helps settle the mixed findings from past state‐level YAD and CM research and suggests the two mandates may combine to improve the well‐being of young adults. (JEL I18, I12, H75)

Can User Perception Influence the Quality of Water Services? Evidence from Leon, Nicaragua

International Review of Administrative Sciences

External and Internal Consistency of User Evaluations

International Journal of Public Administration