Johanna Thunell, PhD

Johanna Thunell studies how policy and regulations affect families and in particular, policies that affect the well-being of informal caregivers. Johanna earned her PhD in public policy at the USC Price School of Public Policy, where she specialized in labor and health economics, as well as housing and inequality. Her dissertation focused on the impact of policy on parents and caregivers and earned the Henry Reining Dissertation Award.

Recent Work

Older Adults Living Alone Report Higher Rates of Anxiety and Depression

One-quarter of older adults live alone – more than in any other country. Social and physical restrictions may pose particular challenges for these individuals.

By Julie Zissimopoulos, PhD, Johanna Thunell, PhD and Schaeffer Center Staff
Categorized in
- Evidence Base
Measuring Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias in Diverse Populations Using Medicare Claims Data

The researchers examined how methods used for identifying dementia in administrative claims affected dementia incidence across racial/ethnic populations using a 100% sample of Medicare beneficiaries.
Categorized in
Simulating the Change in Young Adult Homeownership Through 2035: Effects of Growing Diversity and Rising Educational Attainment

The researchers find that rising education levels—even if minority-white college education gaps were eliminated completely—would only partially reverse the steep declines in young-adult homeownership attainment witnessed since the onset of the housing bust.
Categorized in
- Research
- Journal Articles

Johanna Thunell, PhD's Bio

Recent Work

Older Adults Living Alone Report Higher Rates of Anxiety and Depression

Measuring Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias in Diverse Populations Using Medicare Claims Data

Simulating the Change in Young Adult Homeownership Through 2035: Effects of Growing Diversity and Rising Educational Attainment