2025
2025
BEST THESIS IN HEALTH ECONOMICS 2025
The Swedish Institute for Health Economics (IHE) and the Bengt Jönsson Foundation for Health Economics Research are hereby pleased to announce the recipient of the scholarship for this year’s student thesis in health economics.
Recipient of this year’s scholarship is Yunxi Yang for her thesis “Incentivizing Health: A Theoretical and Empirical Evaluation of the Effect of Wellness Policy on Health Outcomes” presented at the University of Stockholm.
Encouraging citizens to make healthier choices and invest in their own health is an important key to easing the burden on the healthcare system. However, designing programs that effectively influence people’s behavior has proven difficult. In her thesis, Yunxi Yang highlights how behavior changes in the health field can be analyzed. The theoretical analysis in the thesis emphasizes that the greatest value can primarily be expected among people with moderate preferences for the new behavior—that is, among individuals with some motivation to change their unhealthy lifestyle habits. The empirical analysis in the thesis tests the premises of the theoretical model and skillfully addresses the limitations of the available data. This can help future policymakers target interventions toward the groups where they have the greatest impact, or combine interventions with education. The thesis combines, in a highly commendable way, a solid theoretical framework with a qualified empirical analysis of the data.
The assessment committee has consisted of Professor Peter Lindgren, Associate Professor Katarina Steen Carlsson and Professor Linus Jönsson. The decision has been taken by the Board of the Bengt Jönsson Foundation for Health Economic Research.
HONORABLE MENTION
Axel Nordström och Emil Rangaard: “Stairway to Heaven? – Hälsokonsekvenserna av att införa en trappmodell vid subvention av läkemedel för sällsynta sjukdomar”
In their thesis, Nordström and Rangaard study the deadweight losses – that is, the inefficiencies that may arise as a result of a regulation or reform that changes market prices. The thesis analyzes alternative options for how the Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency (TLV) can determine the willingness to pay for rare medicines. This is a current and important issue, and the thesis represents an important first step toward understanding the full consequences of the reform, which also includes changes in the willingness to pay for medicines with broad use.
The assessment committee has consisted of Professor Peter Lindgren, Associate Professor Katarina Steen Carlsson and Professor Linus Jönsson.
The nomination period for the scholarship expired on June 30, 2025
The Swedish Institute for Health Economics and the Bengt Jönsson Foundation for Health Economics Research are pleased to announce a scholarship of 50,000 SEK awarded to the best bachelor’s or master’s thesis in health economics and related topics for the academic year 2024/2025.