Screening and Selection: The Case of Mammograms

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2020
Volume: 110
Issue: 12
Pages: 3836-70

Score contribution per author:

1.609 = (α=2.01 / 5 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We analyze selection into screening in the context of recommendations that breast cancer screening start at age 40. Combining medical claims with a clinical oncology model, we document that compliers with the recommendation are less likely to have cancer than younger women who select into screening or women who never screen. We show this selection is quantitatively important: shifting the recommendation from age 40 to 45 results in three times as many deaths if compliers were randomly selected than under the estimated patterns of selection. The results highlight the importance of considering characteristics of compliers when making and designing recommendations.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:110:y:2020:i:12:p:3836-70
Journal Field
General
Author Count
5
Added to Database
2026-01-25