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Does discrimination drive gender differences in health expenditure on adults: Evidence from Cancer patients in rural India

Author

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  • Akansha Batra

    (Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi)

  • Indrani Gupta

    (Institute of Economic Growth)

  • Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay

    (Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi)

Abstract

This paper investigates if there are gender differences in health expenditures and treatment seeking behavior among adults and focuses on the role of gender discrimination in explaining these differences. Using a longitudinal survey on rural patients suffering from cancer in a public tertiary health centre in Odisha, a poor state of India, the study finds that expenditures on female adults are significantly lesser than those on males. Controlling for other covariates, in particular the type of cancer, 73 percent of the difference can be attributed to gender discrimination. Moreover, the biggest reason for the difference in expenditure is attributed to gender discrimination in treatment seeking and medical expenditures before coming to the tertiary centre. These results are corroborated using a nationally representative survey on health for the whole country.

Suggested Citation

  • Akansha Batra & Indrani Gupta & Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay, 2014. "Does discrimination drive gender differences in health expenditure on adults: Evidence from Cancer patients in rural India," Discussion Papers 14-03, Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi.
    • Handle: RePEc:alo:isipdp:14-03
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    File URL: http://www.isid.ac.in/~pu/dispapers/dp14-03.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tarun Jain, 2014. "Where There Is a Will: Fertility Behavior and Sex Bias in Large Families," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 49(2), pages 393-423.
    2. Behrman, Jere R, 1988. "Intrahousehold Allocation of Nutrients in Rural India: Are Boys Favored? Do Parents Exhibit Inequality Aversion?," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 40(1), pages 32-54, March.
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    1. Nandita Saikia & Moradhvaj & Jayanta Kumar Bora, 2016. "Gender Difference in Health-Care Expenditure: Evidence from India Human Development Survey," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(7), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Borooah, Vani, 2018. "The Health of Elderly Persons in India," MPRA Paper 90551, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Datta, Sandip & Kingdon, Geeta G., 2022. "Inequality in Internet Access in India: Implications for Learning during COVID," IZA Discussion Papers 15387, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Dona Ghosh & Jaydeep Sengupta & Aviral Kumar Tiwari, 2020. "Revisiting the Role of Gender in Health Taxonomy: Evidence from the Elderly in India," Advances in Decision Sciences, Asia University, Taiwan, vol. 24(2), pages 104-133, June.
    5. Vani Kant Borooah, 2016. "Gender Disparities in Health Outcomes of Elderly Persons in India," Journal of South Asian Development, , vol. 11(3), pages 328-359, December.
    6. Dona Ghosh & Jaydeep Sengupta & Aviral Kumar Tiwari, 2020. "Revisiting the Role of Gender in Health Taxonomy: Evidence from the Elderly in India," Advances in Decision Sciences, Asia University, Taiwan, vol. 24(2), pages 104-133, June.
    7. Mondal, Bidisha & Dubey, Jay Dev, 2020. "Gender discrimination in health-care expenditure: An analysis across the age-groups with special focus on the elderly," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).

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