Date of Graduation

Spring 5-18-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Applied Economics (MSAE)

College/School

College of Arts and Sciences

Department/Program

Economics

First Advisor

Arman Khachiyan

Second Advisor

Jesse Anttila-Hughes

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified food insecurity in the United States, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. This study examines the county-level impact of various COVID-19 policies on food insecurity using data from the U.S. COVID-19 County Policy (UCCP) Database and Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap study. Employing a Difference-in-Difference (DiD) approach and a Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) regression with two political instrumental variables to address potential endogeneity concerns, the findings reveal nuanced impacts. DiD estimates did not show significant effects on the rate of change in food insecurity but indicated promising signs for absolute population values. The 2SLS results suggest that policies such as religious restrictions, curfew requirements, and movie theater closings may reduce food insecurity rates but have no significant effect on the absolute population value. The effectiveness of these policies depends on factors like policy duration, support levels, and the specific needs of affected populations. This study highlights the importance of considering differential impacts of COVID-19 policies on food security dynamics at the county level, informing targeted interventions and policies to mitigate food insecurity in future public health crises.

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