About

Christine Piette Durrance, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Public Policy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Ph.D., Economics, 2007

Research Interests
My research involves applying microeconomics to relevant public policy issues. I am broadly interested in the effects of the legal and policy environment on an array of outcomes.

Health Economics and Health Policy
My primary field is health economics and health policy. Some of the topic areas I am interested in include: the legal and policy environment, risky behavior, issues in reproductive, maternal, and child health, health insurance policy, and health outcomes generally. Within these broad areas, I have focused on several recurring themes, including contraception/emergency contraception, unintended pregnancy, abortion and STD rates, maternal and infant health outcomes, alcohol and substance use, medical malpractice and defensive medicine, health insurance mandates, and reactions to managed care. I am particularly interested in both the intended and unintended consequences that policy can have on behavior.

Antitrust, Competition Policy, & Industrial Organization
I am also interested in relevant policy issues in antitrust, competition policy, and industrial organization. I have written in various areas within this field, including issues surrounding the economics of antitrust policies such as the Class Action Fairness Act, the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Antitrust Modernization Commission, recent Supreme Court decisions, class actions, and group purchasing organizations. I also teach an undergraduate policy elective in this area, PLCY 470: Business and Competition Policy.

For information about my publications and works in progress, please see my CV.