Research:
The economic well-being of families; economic hardship, material hardship, and poverty; and the methods researchers use to estimate these constructs.

Teaching:
Consumer Decision Making (HACE 3150); Research Methods (HACE 4000/6000); Quantitative Research Methods (HACE 4900/6900); Consumer Protection (HACE 5100/7100).

Interests:
Associate Editor, Family & Consumer Sciences Research Journal; Editorial Board Member, Journal of Consumer Affairs.

Education:

Selected Publications/Presentations:

Nielsen, R. B. (2011). Cues to quality in quantitative research papers. Family & Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 40(1), 85-89.

Chatterjee, S., & Nielsen, R. B. (2011). Employer-provided health insurance coverage: A comparison of employed native-born and immigrant Americans. Family & Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 40(1), 15-27.

Nickols, S. Y., & Nielsen, R. B. (2011). “So many people are struggling”: Developing social empathy through a poverty simulation. Journal of Poverty, 15(1), 22-42.

Nielsen, R. B. (2010). Assessing financial wellness via computer-assisted telephone interviews. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, 21(2), 16-29.

Nielsen, R. B., Garasky, S. B., & Chatterjee, S. (2010). Food insecurity and out-of-pocket medical expenditures: Competing basic needs? Family & Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 39(2), 137-151.

Futris, T. G., Campbell, K., Nielsen, R. B., & Burwell, S. R. (2010). The communication patterns questionnaire short-form: A review and assessment. The Family Journal, 18(3), 275-287.

Fletcher, C. N., Garasky, S. B., Jensen, H. H., & Nielsen, R. B. (2010). Transportation access: A key employment barrier for rural low-income families. Journal of Poverty, 14(2), 123-144.

Nielsen, R. B., Davern, M., Jones, Art Jr., & Boies, J. L. (2009). Complex sample design effects and health insurance variance estimation. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 43(2), 346-366.

Nielsen, R. B., & Gottschalck, A. O. (2009). Estimating labor force transitions in the presence of a seam effect. Applied Economics Research Bulletin Peer-Reviewed Working Paper Series, 2, 1-19.

Nielsen, R. B., & Garasky, S. B. (2008). Health insurance and personal finance: Coverage matters for individuals and families. Journal of Personal Finance, 7(1), 68-95.

Nielsen, R. B., & Garasky, S. B. (2008). Health insurance stability and health status: Do family-level coverage patterns matter? Journal of Family Issues, 29(11), 1471-1491.

Garasky, S. B., Nielsen, R. B., & Fletcher, C. N. (2008). Financial issues of low-income families. In J. Xiao (Ed.), Handbook of Consumer Finance Research. Springer.

Nielsen, R. B., Zick, C. D., Mayer, R. N., & Smith, K. R. (2001). Genetic testing and the demand for cancer insurance. Journal of Consumer Policy, 24(1), 1-21.

Nielsen, R. B., & Mayer, R. N. (2001). Why do people buy cancer insurance? An exploratory study. Advancing the Consumer Interest: A Journal of Consumer Law, Policy, and Research, 12(2), 16-22.

Service-Learning Course Projects

Nielsen et al. (2008). Assessing Debt and Short-Term Lending in Georgia. HACE 4000: Research Methods in Housing and Consumer Economics Service-Learning Research Project for Georgia Watch.

Selected Applied Research, Technical Reports

Sabia, J. J., & Nielsen, R. B. (2012). Are minimum wages effective at reducing hardship? New evidence from the Survey of Income and Program Participation. Washington, DC: Employment Policies Institute.

Nielsen, R. B., & Malega, R. (2007). Colquitt County Partners for Progress Report: A report for the Colquitt County, GA Poverty Task Force. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. Report No. HACE-E-68.

Resources

Seay, M. C., & Nielsen, R. B. (2012). SIPP Complex Sample Specification for SAS, Stata, and WesVar. Technical note, Department of Housing and Consumer Economics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

Nielsen, R. B., & Seay, M. C. (2012). CPS Complex Sample Specification for SAS and Stata. Technical note, Department of Housing and Consumer Economics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

Nielsen, R. B., & Seay, M. C. (2012). HRS Complex Sample Specification for SAS, Stata, and WesVar. Technical note, Department of Housing and Consumer Economics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

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