Education
- Ph.D., University of Oregon
- MA, Marquette University
- BA, Marquette University
Interests and Expertise
Dr. Thornton joined the department in 1991. His major areas of interest are:
- Health economics
- Econometrics
- Wine economics
Courses
Dr. Thornton regularly taught undergraduate and graduate health economics, and econometrics classes.
Publications and Presentations
- "Pathways and Hidden Benefits of Healthcare Spending Growth in the U.S.," Atlantic Economic Journal, September 2016. (With Svetlana Beilfuss).
- "New Evidence on Factors Affecting the Level and Growth of US Healthcare Spending," Applied Economics Letters, 2015. (With Svetlana Beilfuss).
- "Education and HIV Discrimination in Egypt," Development, 57(3–4), 2014. (With Ahmed Elroukh).
- "American Wine Economics: An Exploration of the U.S. Wine Industry," Berkeley: University of California Press, 2013.
- "Does More Medical Care Improve Population Health? New Evidence for an Old Controversy," Applied Economics, 43, 2011.
- "Does Extending Health Insurance to the Uninsured Improve Population Health Outcomes?," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, 6(4), 2008. (With Jennifer Rice).
- "Determinants of Healthcare Spending: A State Level Analysis," Applied Economics, 40(22), 2008. (With Jennifer Rice).
- "Accuracy of Retrospective Memory and Covariation Estimation In Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder," Behaviour Research Therapy, 46, 2008. (With Andrew Gloster et al.).
- "Erectile Dysfunction Risk Recognition in a Urology Clinic Practice," British Journal of Urology, 95, 2005. (With David Rowland and Arthur Burnett).
- "Psychosocial Influences on 305 Adults Survival after Bone Marrow Transplantation: Depression, Smoking, and Behavioral Self-Regulation," Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 57(2), 2004. (With Flora Hoodin, Karen Kalbfleish, and Voravit Ratanatharathorn).
- "Regression Strategies for Analyzing the Study and Pharmacological Treatment of Sexual Response: ANOVA and Beyond," Annual Review of Sex Research, Volume X1V, January 2004. (With David Rowland).
- "Transforming Ideas Into Research," Clinical Researcher, May 2003. (With David Rowland).
- "How Important Are Economic Factors in Choice of Medical Specialty?," Health Economics, January 2003. (With Alfredo Esposto).
- "Effects of Selegiline during Smoking and Short-Term Abstinence," Psychopharmacology, September 2002. (With Elisabeth Houtsmuller and Maxine Stitzer).
- "Estimating a Health Production Function for the U.S.: Some New Evidence," Applied Economics, 34(1), 2002.
- "Testing and Analytical Procedures for Laboratory Studies Involving Non-Responders during a Limited Observation Period," Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, 68, 2001. (With David Rowland).
- "Physician Choice of Medical Specialty: Do Economic Incentives Matter," Applied Economics, 32(11), 2000.
- "The Impact of Medical Malpractice Insurance Cost on Physician Behavior: The Role of Income and Tort Signal Effects," Applied Economics, 31(7), 1999.
- "Nepotism, Discrimination, and the Persistence of Utility Maximizing Owner-Operated Firms: Reply" Southern Economic Journal, April, 1999. (With Larry Singell).
- "Do Physicians Employ Aides Efficiently? Some New Evidence on Solo Practitioners," Journal of Economics and Finance, Summer/Fall 1998.
- "The Labor Supply Behavior of Self-Employed Solo Practice Physicians," Applied Economics, 30(1), 1998.
- "Are Malpractice Insurance Premiums a Tort Signal That Influence Physician Hours Worked?," Economics Letters, September 1997.
- "The Self-Employed Utility Maximizing Physician," Journal of Human Resources, 32(1), Winter 1997. (With Kelly Eakin).
- "Nepotism, Discrimination, and the Persistence of Utility Maximizing Owner-Operated Firms," Southern Economic Journal, 63(4), April 1997. (With Larry Singell).
- "Using a Regression Approach to Study the Influence of Male Fetuses on the Genital Morphology of Neonatal Female Rats," Multivariate Behavioral Research, 32(1), 1997. (With David Rowland and Els Houtsmuller).
- "Estimating the Choice Behavior of Self-Employed Business Proprietors: An Application to Dairy Farmers," Southern Economic Journal , 60(3), January 1994.
- "Virtual Prices and a General Theory of the Owner-Operated Firm," Southern Economic Journal, 58(4), April 1992. (With Kelly Eakin).