Gender differences in the relationship between income inequality and health in China: Evidence from the China Health and Nutrition Survey data

Abstract

This study examines gender differences in the relationship between income inequality and health in China. Multilevel regression models were used to analyse data from the most recent five waves (2004–2015) across 12 provinces in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). The findings remain robust when considering alternative measures of health outcomes and income inequality. Men showed greater sensitivity to income inequality in terms of adverse health outcomes. When individuals experienced the same level of changes in income inequality, men had a higher risk of reporting poor health status, higher BMI, higher systolic blood pressure, and a higher risk of smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol than women. Despite missing data and causal inference challenges, this study highlights gender differences in the relationship between income inequality and health in China, potentially attributed to cultural gender norms. Double standards regarding weight and health-compromising behaviours based on gender roles and stereotypes are more intensive in China, particularly in areas with higher income inequality. One policy implication of this study is that reducing income inequality could enhance individual health outcomes, with a more notable impact on men's health compared to women's.