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Family income and child health in China

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  • Goode, Alison
  • Mavromaras, Kostas
  • zhu, Rong

Abstract

We examine the effect of family income on child health using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. We find a significant child health/family income gradient for the overall sample of Chinese children. Our preferred specification shows that the income gradient increases with child age until the age of 12. We find that parental health consciousness, household sanitation conditions and nutrition intake are the channels through which family income affects child health. After controlling for these transmission channels, the gradient strengthens with child age until the age of 17. We find that children from poorer families in China are not only more likely to experience several types of chronic illnesses, but also less likely to address effectively some health conditions. The income gradient is found to be very heterogeneous, with greater effect on children with poorer health, girls and children in rural China.

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  • Goode, Alison & Mavromaras, Kostas & zhu, Rong, 2014. "Family income and child health in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 152-165.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:29:y:2014:i:c:p:152-165
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2014.04.007
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    10. Swaminathan, Harini & Sharma, Anurag & Shah, Narendra G., 2019. "Does the relationship between income and child health differ across income groups? Evidence from India," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 57-73.
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    13. Li, H. & Wang, X. & Ren, Y., 2018. "Family Income and Health: Evidence from Food Consumption in China," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277074, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
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    18. Ren, Yanjun & Castro Campos, Bente & Loy, Jens-Peter & Brosig, Stephan, 2019. "Low-income and overweight in China: Evidence from a life-course utility model," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 18(8), pages 1753-1767.
    19. Wu, Yichao, 2019. "What is known about children's undernutrition and health levels in China – An empirical analysis from 1991 to 2009," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 372-380.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Child health; Income gradient; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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