Measures of Welfare Dependency: An Evaluation

摘要

The study presents a critical review of the empirical measures utilized in the welfare literature to characterize the extent of welfare participation and the notion of dependency. The analysis considers measures based on the duration of spells and measures derived from accumulative welfare experience. The discussion surveys the most frequently cited estimates of these measures produced by the work at the frontier of this research area. The analysis evaluates the reliability of these empirical findings, and it identifies important caveats needed to interpret these results appropriately. The discussion also investigates the relevance of the alternative measures of welfare dependency as they relate to gauging the attainment of policy goals, and it advances measures well-suited for assessing progress in achieving these goals.