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Health and consumption preferences; estimating the health state dependence of utility using equivalence scales

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  • Kools, Lieke
  • Knoef, Marike

Abstract

This paper estimates health state dependence of utility in Europe. For identification we introduce a new method using insights from the research domain of living standards. We estimate how much extra (or less) income is needed to maintain the same level of material wellbeing after a health shock, and we derive a simple relation between this estimate and the health state dependence parameter. The results show positive health state dependence. This is not driven by medical expenditures, and is robust across alternative specifications and health measures. Interestingly, for cognitive limitations we find negative health state dependence, presumably resulting from a decreased ability to plan.

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  • Kools, Lieke & Knoef, Marike, 2019. "Health and consumption preferences; estimating the health state dependence of utility using equivalence scales," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 46-62.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:113:y:2019:i:c:p:46-62
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2018.12.007
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    2. Sebastian Himmler & Jannis Stöckel & Job van Exel & Werner B. F. Brouwer, 2021. "The value of health—Empirical issues when estimating the monetary value of a quality‐adjusted life year based on well‐being data," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(8), pages 1849-1870, August.
    3. de Bresser, Jochem & Knoef, Marike & van Ooijen, Raun, 2022. "Preferences for in-kind and in-cash home care insurance," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    4. Christos Koulovatianos & Carsten Schröder, 2023. "Income-dependent equivalence scales and choice theory: implications for poverty measurement," Chapters, in: Jacques Silber (ed.), Research Handbook on Measuring Poverty and Deprivation, chapter 4, pages 39-49, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Betti, Thierry & Lefebvre, Mathieu & Pestieau, Pierre, 2023. "Macroeconomics of aging," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2023002, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    6. Alonso-García, Jennifer & Bateman, Hazel & Bonekamp, Johan & van Soest, Arthur & Stevens, Ralph, 2022. "Saving preferences after retirement," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 409-433.
    7. Fink Simonsen, Nicolai & Kjær, Trine, 2021. "New Evidence of Health State Dependent Utility of Consumption: A combined survey and register study," DaCHE discussion papers 2021:2, University of Southern Denmark, Dache - Danish Centre for Health Economics.
    8. Xiaoyu Wang & Chunan Wang, 2020. "How Does Health Status Affect Marginal Utility of Consumption? Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-20, March.
    9. Zarko Kalamov, 2021. "Evaluating Marginal Internalities: A New Approach," CESifo Working Paper Series 9476, CESifo.
    10. Ralph Stevens & Jennifer Alonso Garcia & Hazel Bateman & Arthur van Soest & Johan Bonekamp, 2022. "Saving preferences after retirement," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/342267, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial satisfaction; Health; Consumption;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health

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