NB20-19: Economic Disruption and Social Security Spillovers: Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic

This project looks at the preliminary and likely effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on SSDI applications and OASI claims, based on high-frequency data on search behavior compiled by Google Trends. We will analyze Google Trends data on searches for disability insurance and Social Security claiming by week and geographic location, as they relate to the timing and geographic variation in COVID-19 cases, shelter-in-place directives and other area-specific shocks stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. A variety of different search terms will be tested in previous periods in order to identify search terms that are validated by historical patterns of SSDI and OASI application in aggregated administrative data.