Immigrant networks and the take-up of disability programs: evidence from U.S. census data

We find that even when controlling for country of origin and area of residence fixed effects, immigrants residing amid a large number of co-ethnics are more likely to receive disability payments when their ethnic groups have higher take-up rates. Although this pattern can be partially explained by cross-group differences in satisfying the work history or income and asset requirements of the disability programs, we also find that social norms and, to a lesser extent, information sharing play important roles.