This the first study, which proposes axiomatic measures of well-being and deprivation, which satisfy certain normative properties. The authors estimate changes in social well-being and deprivation in the U.S. during the Great Recession and the subsequent recovery spanning a period of 8 years, using data on 9 dimensions for more than 2 million adults. They show that the impact of recession and the subsequent recovery varied significantly by race and ethnicity. Despite low deprivation levels among the White population, this group experienced the largest increase in deprivation during the recession and the least decline in deprivation in the recovery period.

Dr. Dhongde previous research on this topic includes, an article, “Multi-dimensional Deprivation in the U.S ” co-authored with R. Haveman, in Social Indicators Research and a chapter “Assessing Multidimensional Deprivation among the Elderly in the USA” in the volume on Measuring Multidimensional Poverty and Deprivation: Incidence and Determinants in Developed Countries, edited by R. White.