A handful of studies have led influential health advocacy organisations to recommend increasing minimum wages to improve health. This column by David Neumark, UCI Distinguished Professor of economics, assesses the emerging body of evidence on minimum-wage effects on health and health-related behaviours to see whether conclusions can be drawn. Raising minimum wage reduces suicides but has mixed effects on overall physical health, a beneficial or no effect on obesity, and an adverse effect on smoking.

For the full column, please visit https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/higher-minimum-wages-and-mixed-effects-health.