The Temporal and Spatial Changes of Health Inequality in Rural China

Jinqi Jiang; Wanzhen Huang; Yunru Liu; Zhenhua Wang

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.821384

The Temporal and Spatial Changes of Health Inequality in Rural China

Front Public Health. 2022 Feb 10:10:821384. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.821384. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Jinqi Jiang¹, Wanzhen Huang², Yunru Liu³, Zhenhua Wang¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Economics and Management, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.
² College of Economics and Management, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
³ College of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Quzhou University, Quzhou, China.

Abstract

This article estimates the temporal and spatial changes of health inequality in rural China from 2010 to 2018. Based on a panel database of 29,616 rural residents, the Health Utility Index (HUI) and a spatial econometric model are used for analysis. The results show that, on the temporal dimension, the health inequality of rural China first expands and then deflates. On the spatial dimension, the health inequality gradually deflates from eastern to western China. Furthermore, from 2010 to 2018, the high and low-value areas constantly changed among different provinces. After decomposing the causes of health inequality, it is found that behind the health inequality is the difference of socioeconomic-related status. Moreover, narrowing the difference in socioeconomic-related status is the key to improving health inequality.

Keywords: Rural China; concentration index; health inequality; health utility index; interval regression.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

China
Health Status Disparities*
Humans
Rural Population*
Social Class
Socioeconomic Factors