Combining two interests Karin Dienst Princeton NJ -- As a pre-medical student majoring in economics, Craig Perry used his senior thesis to combine these two interests. His thesis examines issues of health care and health insurance among the self-employed. Turned on to the topic by the ongoing public policy debate about the lack of health insurance among owners of small businesses, Perry, whose adviser is economics professor Harvey Rosen, asks if the relatively low rates of health insurance coverage among the self-employed do in fact lead to lower utilization of health services and poorer health. Finding very little written on the subject, Perry analyzed data from the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a national study conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In summary, Perry said that he "found that health insurance's effects on health care utilization and health outcomes among the self-employed are not nearly as important as legislators and policy makers have suggested." Perry's thesis posits that the self-employed generally do not use fewer health services than traditional wage-earners, and that they appear to be able to finance these services from sources other than insurance. "It is hard to lavish too much praise on this piece of research," said Rosen. "It deals with virtually every important aspect of the links among health, insurance and self-employment. The statistical work is executed with great technical skill and subtlety." Perry's research proved to be more than a fulfillment of an academic requirement -- last year he and Rosen presented this work at an international economics conference in Munich, Germany. "Professor Rosen and I worked together to polish what I had done in order to submit a paper," said Perry. "The conference itself was a great experience. There's nothing quite like standing up in front of experts who are three times your age, trying to deliver your own research." Perry said that the best part of the senior thesis project was "getting to work side-by-side with one of the best public finance professors in the world." Perry hopes that his research will be used to "help shape public policies directed toward health care issues." After graduation, Perry will work for the Princeton University Investment Company while considering professional school.   top		May 7, 2001 Vol. 90, No. 27 previous   archives   next Contents Senior thesis • Independent work caps Princeton experience • Delving into bioethics • Researching the court • Combining two interests • Analyzing theses topics • Minicourses provide 'continuing education' • Dale touched students lives • Faculty team serves up a slice of the universe • Communiversity 2001 • PWB readers surveyed soon People • Spotlight • Briefs Sections • By the numbers: Endowed professorships • Nassau Notes • Calendar of events The Bulletin is published weekly during the academic year, except during University breaks and exam weeks, by the Office of Communications, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544. Permission is given to adapt, reprint or excerpt material from the Bulletin for use in other media. Deadline. In general, the copy deadline for each issue is the Friday 10 days in advance of the Monday cover date. The deadline for the Bulletin that covers May 21-June 3 is Friday, May 11. A complete publication schedule is available at deadlines or by calling (609) 258-3601. Subscriptions. The Bulletin is distributed free to faculty, staff and students. Others may subscribe to the Bulletin for $24 for the academic year (half price for current Princeton parents and people over 65). Send a check to Office of Communications, Stanhope Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544. Editor: Ruth Stevens Calendar editor: Carolyn Geller Contributing writers: Karin Dienst, Jennifer Greenstein, Marilyn Marks, Caroline Moseley, Steven Schultz, Lauren Sun Photographer: Denise Applewhite Design: Mahlon Lovett, Laurel Masten Cantor Web edition: Mahlon Lovett