IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/easeco/v44y2018i4d10.1057_s41302-018-0106-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Are Remittances Good for Your Health? Remittances and Nepal’s National Healthcare Policy

Author

Listed:
  • Brian Chezum

    (St. Lawrence University)

  • Cynthia Bansak

    (St. Lawrence University)

  • Animesh Giri

    (Cornerstone Research)

Abstract

We examine the relationship between remittances and healthcare usage in Nepal. Nepal provides an important case study due to the recent introduction of a nationalized healthcare policy with heterogeneity across its districts. We find that remittance income leads to increased expenditures on higher-priced medical care and a higher likelihood of visiting a doctor. The medical spending results are stronger in districts targeted for social healthcare programs. While government initiatives to increase health care appear to be directing those with health needs to receive medical care, public funding or accessibility may be insufficient to adequately treat all needs.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian Chezum & Cynthia Bansak & Animesh Giri, 2018. "Are Remittances Good for Your Health? Remittances and Nepal’s National Healthcare Policy," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 44(4), pages 594-615, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:easeco:v:44:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1057_s41302-018-0106-9
    DOI: 10.1057/s41302-018-0106-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41302-018-0106-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41302-018-0106-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Valero-Gil, Jorge, 2008. "Remittances and the household’s expenditures on health," MPRA Paper 9572, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Maria Cristina Zhunio & Sharmila Vishwasrao & Eric P. Chiang, 2012. "The influence of remittances on education and health outcomes: a cross country study," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(35), pages 4605-4616, December.
    3. Alassane DRABO & Christian EBEKE, 2010. "Remittances, Public Health Spending and Foreign Aid in the Access to Health Care Services in Developing Countries," Working Papers 201004, CERDI.
    4. Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes & Susan Pozo, 2011. "New evidence on the role of remittances on healthcare expenditures by Mexican households," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 69-98, March.
    5. Allendorf, Keera, 2007. "Do Women's Land Rights Promote Empowerment and Child Health in Nepal?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(11), pages 1975-1988, November.
    6. repec:dau:papers:123456789/11393 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Acosta, Pablo & Fajnzylber, Pablo & Lopez, J. Humberto, 2007. "The impact of remittances on poverty and human capital : evidence from Latin American household surveys," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4247, The World Bank.
    8. Cynthia Bansak & Brian Chezum & Animesh Giri, 2015. "Remittances, school quality, and household education expenditures in Nepal," IZA Journal of Migration and Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 4(1), pages 1-19, December.
    9. World Bank, 2017. "World Development Indicators 2017," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 26447, December.
    10. Taylor, J. Edward & Mora, Jorge, 2006. "Does migration reshape expenditures in rural households? Evidence from Mexico," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3842, The World Bank.
    11. Sophia C. Terrelonge, 2014. "For Health, Strength, and Daily Food: The Dual Impact of Remittances and Public Health Expenditure on Household Health Spending and Child Health Outcomes," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(10), pages 1397-1410, November.
    12. Cynthia Bansak & Brian Chezum, 2009. "How Do Remittances Affect Human Capital Formation of School-Age Boys and Girls?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(2), pages 145-148, May.
    13. Mendola, Mariapia, 2008. "Migration and technological change in rural households: Complements or substitutes?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(1-2), pages 150-175, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ramkissoon, Benjamin & Deonanan, Regan, 2023. "How do remittances impact child mortality and are there preconditions?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 333(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kul Kapri & Stuti Jha, 2020. "Impact of remittances on household health care expenditure: Evidence from the Nepal Living Standards Survey," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(3), pages 991-1008, August.
    2. Uweis Abdulahi Ali Bare & Yasmin Bani & Normaz Wana Ismail & Anitha Rosland, 2021. "Remittances And Health Outcomes In Sub-Saharan African Countries: Understanding The Role Of Financial Development And Institutional Quality," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 66(229), pages 119-144, April – J.
    3. Cynthia Bansak & Brian Chezum & Animesh Giri, 2015. "Remittances, school quality, and household education expenditures in Nepal," IZA Journal of Migration and Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 4(1), pages 1-19, December.
    4. Azizi, SeyedSoroosh, 2018. "The impacts of workers' remittances on human capital and labor supply in developing countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 377-396.
    5. Dhruba Bhandari, 2020. "Are Households Utilizing Remittance on Quality Education? An Empirical Study from Nepal," Journal of Development Innovations, KarmaQuest International, vol. 4(1), pages 179-195, July.
    6. Randazzo, Teresa & Pavanello, Filippo & De Cian, Enrica, 2023. "Adaptation to climate change: Air-conditioning and the role of remittances," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    7. Chuhong Wang & Xingfei Liu & Zizhong Yan, 2021. "Temporary versus permanent migration: The impact on expenditure patterns of households left behind," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 873-911, September.
    8. Karim Khan & Muhammad Jehangir Khan & Abid Hussain, 2021. "Remittances and Healthcare Expenditures: Evidence from Pakistan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 60(2), pages 175-200.
    9. Ramkissoon, Benjamin & Deonanan, Regan, 2023. "How do remittances impact child mortality and are there preconditions?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 333(C).
    10. Iuliia Kuntsevych, 2017. "Remittances, Spending and Political Instability in Ukraine," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp583, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    11. Teresa Randazzo & Filippo Pavanello & Enrica De Cian, 2021. "Adaptation to climate change: air-conditioning and the role of remittances," Working Papers 2021:, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    12. Gaurav Datt & Liang Choon Wang & Samia Badji, 2020. "Is emigration of workers contributing to better schooling outcomes in Nepal?," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 1046-1075, September.
    13. Sèna Kimm Gnangnon, 2020. "Development aid, remittances inflows and wages in the manufacturing sector," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 22(2), pages 278-304, December.
    14. William M. Fonta & Elias T. Ayuk & Jude O. Chukwu & Onyukwu E. Onyukwu & Cletus C. Agu & Innocent O. Umenwa, 2015. "Dynamics of remittance utilization by Nigerian households," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 15(4), pages 343-357, October.
    15. Gabriella Berloffa & Sara Giunti, 2017. "Remittances and healthcare consumption: human capital investment or responses to shocks? Evidence from Peru," DEM Working Papers 2017/12, Department of Economics and Management.
    16. Ma, Yechi & Chen, Zhiguo & Shinwari, Riazullah & Khan, Zeeshan, 2021. "Financialization, globalization, and Dutch disease: Is Dutch disease exist for resources rich countries?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    17. Karam Fida, 2010. "When Migrant Remittances Are Not Everlasting: How Can Morocco Make Up?," Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 1-38, July.
    18. Petreski Marjan & Petreski Blagica & Tumanoska Despina & Narazani Edlira & Kazazi Fatush & Ognjanov Galjina & Jankovic Irena & Mustafa Arben & Kochovska Tereza, 2017. "The Size and Effects of Emigration and Remittances in the Western Balkans. A Forecasting Based on a Delphi Process," Comparative Southeast European Studies, De Gruyter, vol. 65(4), pages 679-695, December.
    19. Adhikari, Laxmi D. & Saghaian, Sayed, 2022. "Research Report: Impact of Remittance on Household Welfare: Evidence from the Western Region of Nepal," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 53(1), March.
    20. Démurger, Sylvie & Wang, Xiaoqian, 2016. "Remittances and expenditure patterns of the left behinds in rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 177-190.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:easeco:v:44:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1057_s41302-018-0106-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.