Measuring Multidimensional Health Poverty in China.

Xin-Xin Chi,Ze-Zhong Zhang,Xi-Hua Liu

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.786325

Xin-Xin Chi, Ze-Zhong Zhang + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.786325

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Abstract

This article defines the concept of “multidimensional health poverty,” considering both the monetary aspects and multidimensional health deprivation of health poverty. Moreover, we set up the multidimensional health poverty index (MHPI) to measure health poverty in China by revising the traditional A-F MPI method, specifically we use the Catastrophic Health Expenditure (CHE) as a sufficient condition and income poverty as a necessary condition, and take physical, mental, and social health into account. The measurement result evidences that physical health, monetary dimensions (CHE and income poverty), and mental health contribute most to health poverty in China. In addition, the MHPI is significantly higher in rural areas than urban because of higher out-of-pocket medical payments and health deprivation in more dimensions. Compared with the traditional method, the MHPI is more accurate, stable, and comprehensive, making it more suitable for measuring health poverty.

Highlights

According to the sustainable development goals (SDGs), we expect to end poverty in all its forms everywhere, ensure healthy lives, and promote wellbeing for all ages up to 2030 [1]
We regard income poverty as a necessary condition, that is, when a household is in poor health but not in income poverty, we identify that it is not in multidimensional health poverty
If the household has Catastrophic Health Expenditure (CHE) or has no CHE but is in relative income poverty and has members with physical, mental, or social health problems, we identify the household as being in multidimensional health poverty

Summary

INTRODUCTION

According to the sustainable development goals (SDGs), we expect to end poverty in all its forms everywhere, ensure healthy lives, and promote wellbeing for all ages up to 2030 [1]. Very little literature defines health poverty as a state where health deprivation and low income coexist but has not measured it empirically [21,22,23] This literature revises the traditional A-F MPI method to construct a new index measuring multidimensional health poverty and applies the 2018 wave of the China Family Panel Studies to conduct an empirical analysis. These analyses suggest that the government should further reduce the medical expenditure burden of rural households and pay attention to multidimensional health.

LITERATURE REVIEW

METHODOLOGY

A Rural Urban

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Findings

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT