Measurement and Decomposition of Income-Related Inequity of Family Health in China

Research focused on promoting family health equity could provide specific measurements concerning ways to face the challenges and opportunities associated with improving equity in population health outcomes. However, family health equity and its contributing factors have been underexplored in China. This study aimed to evaluate the equity of family health among different income groups, and to further identify the relevant factors contributing to the income-related inequity of family health in the Chinese context. Family health was measured by the Short Form of the Family Health Scale. The concentration index and concentration curve were used to measure equity of family health, and the recentred influence function-index-ordinary least squares model was used to decompose the inequity. This study drew the following conclusions: (1) Income-related inequity of family health existed in China, with higher family health being distributed among higher income groups. (2) Income-related inequity of family health could be aggravated by rural residence and having no medical insurance, but narrowed by an agricultural hukou status. The income-related inequity of family health should be reduced by government and society alike. The rural–urban disparity of income and family health should be investigated, and medical insurance coverage be expanded and maintained.