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Measurement and Determinants of Health Poverty and Richness – Evidence from Portugal

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  • Nádia Simões
  • Nuno Crespo
  • Sandrina B. Moreira
  • Celeste A. Varum

Abstract

The analysis of health inequalities is a critical topic for health policy. With data for Portugal, we propose a procedure to convert information provided by the official National Health Survey to EuroQol. Based on these data, we make two contributions. First, we extend measures and methods commonly applied in other fields of economic research in order to quantify the phenomena of health poverty, richness, and inequality. Second, using an ordered probit model, we evaluate the determinants of health inequalities in Portugal. The results show that there is a remarkable level of health inequality, with significant rates of poverty (11.64%) and richness (22.64%). The econometric study reveals that gender, age, education, region of residence, and eating habits are among the most critical determinant factors of health.

Suggested Citation

  • Nádia Simões & Nuno Crespo & Sandrina B. Moreira & Celeste A. Varum, 2013. "Measurement and Determinants of Health Poverty and Richness – Evidence from Portugal," Working Papers Series 2 13-08, ISCTE-IUL, Business Research Unit (BRU-IUL).
    • Handle: RePEc:isc:iscwp2:bruwp1308
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    Cited by:

    1. Clarke, Philip & Erreygers, Guido, 2020. "Defining and measuring health poverty," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    2. Bénédicte Apouey & David Madden, 2023. "Health poverty," Chapters, in: Jacques Silber (ed.), Research Handbook on Measuring Poverty and Deprivation, chapter 19, pages 202-211, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Ousmane Traoré, 2021. "The relationship between health poverty and income poverty in Sub-Saharan African countries: evidence from index correlations," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 1(10), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Dajung Jun & Matt Sutton, 2021. "Trends in Health Poverty in Australia, 2001-2018," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2021n25, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    5. Aurora A. C. Teixeira & Ana Sofia Loureiro, 2019. "FDI, income inequality and poverty: a time series analysis of Portugal, 1973–2016," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 18(3), pages 203-249, October.
    6. Pascual-Sáez, Marta & Cantarero-Prieto, David & Lanza-León, Paloma, 2019. "The dynamics of health poverty in Spain during the economic crisis (2008–2016)," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(10), pages 1011-1018.
    7. Ousmane Traoré, 2022. "The effect of income on health: evidence from the poverty gaps analysis method in the sub-Saharan Africa," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 69(3), pages 401-432, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    health poverty; health richness; inequality; Portugal; EuroQol; determinant factors;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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