Health Capital Research Articles

Which Institutions Foster Health Capital Accumulation in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Which Institutions Foster Health Capital Accumulation in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Social security, health capital and household investment behavior

The correlation between social security systems and household investment behavior has long intrigued economists. However, the mechanisms through which social safety nets affect investment decisions remain unclear. Furthermore, the potential moderating role of health capital, encompassing physical and mental health, has been underexplored. This study uses data from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies to examine the relationship between social security coverage and household investment behavior, with health capital as a moderator. The results reveal a positive association between social security coverage and the propensity for risky investments, which is significantly moderated by physical and mental health, with the latter having a stronger effect. These effects vary across regions and income levels, with the strongest impacts demonstrated in developed areas and high-income households. These findings elucidate the complex pathways through which social policies influence household investment behavior, providing insights for policymakers aiming to increase financial market participation in rapidly evolving economies.

Financial support for guaranteed medical care and indicators of the health capital of the Russian population

BACKGROUND: Financial support for medical care is one of the conditions for the implementation of the state’s social objectives and strategic provision of the required level of health capital for the population. Financial resources of compulsory health insurance account for more than 48% in the structure of sources of financing of guaranteed medical care. AIM: Analysis of the relationship between basic integral indicators of population health capital and the level of financial security of medical care within the framework of the compulsory health insurance program. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out using the method of correlation and regression analysis, the method of constructing time series, comparative analysis of quantitative and qualitative indicators. RESULTS: Financial support for medical care within the framework of compulsory medical insurance in 2011-2022. was characterized by significant underfunding and a decrease in the coverage of the population with timely and high-quality medical care. Government expenditures within the framework of compulsory health insurance are determined by the dynamics of GDP per capita. The volume of expenses for the provision of guaranteed medical care does not directly determine the level of life expectancy, birth rate and disability of the population. The scale of financial support within the framework of compulsory health insurance only partially mediates the variation in such indicators of health capital as natural population growth and the level of general morbidity. CONCLUSION: The absence of a formalized positive correlation between indicators of the volume of state financial resources within the framework of compulsory medical insurance and indicators of health capital for 2011-2022, revealed in the framework of the study. can be considered as a direction for increasing the efficiency of the organizational and economic mechanism for using limited resources.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SPENDING IN BRAZIL'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (2000 TO 2023)

Public expenditure can influence economic development by increasing public investment. This study seeks to analyze the importance of public investments in education, health, infrastructure and human capital in the process of economic development. The objective of the article is to address, from a theoretical perspective, the relevance of public spending in Brazilian economic development. The research showed that an efficient allocation of public spending in different strategic, innovative areas with potential disseminators can influence and influence the country's economic development.

Risks for the Development of the Russian Human Capital in the Context of Geoeconomic Fragmentation

Geopolitical tensions, increasing sanction pressure, inequality, and the slowdown of globalization serve as signals of fragmentation in the world economy. However, research on the social consequences of fragmentation remains limited. This study aims to identify the risks to the development of the Russian human capital in the context of geoeconomic fragmentation. Research methods include a systematic literature review and a comparative analysis of the country blocks based on the key indicators of technology development and human capital using World Bank data from 2011 to 2022. Based on political preferences and the level of socio-economic development, Western, Eastern, and Neutral blocks were identified and analyzed among 149 advanced and emerging economies. The results showed significant differences among the blocks in the level of human capital development and indicators of technological development. Russia has advantages in formal education at the level of Western block countries; however, health indicators of the population and the share of investment in science and education remain relatively low. Key risks in the context of fragmentation include further devaluation of human capital, losses associated with migration and health capital, a decrease in the share of high-tech sectors in the structure of value-added, and the proportion of scientific personnel

Family Planning and Children's Human Capital: Experimental Evidence From Urban Malawi

We conduct a randomized controlled trial that provides pregnant and immediate postpartum women with improved access to family planning through counseling, free transportation to a clinic, and financial reimbursement for family planning services over two years. We study the effects of our intervention on child growth and development outcomes among 1,034 children born to participating women directly before the intervention rollout. We find that children born to mothers assigned to the family planning intervention arm were 0.28–0.34 standard deviations taller for their age and 10.7–12.0 percentage points less likely to be stunted within a year of exposure to the intervention. Children born to mothers assigned to the intervention arm also scored 0.17–0.20 standard deviations higher on a caregiver-reported measure of cognitive development after two years of intervention exposure. Although the nonmeasurement of children is a challenge in our study, our estimates are robust to multiple methods of correcting for potential attrition bias. Our results are consistent with models of fertility that link couples’ fertility decisions to child health and human capital. Our results also suggest that improved access to family planning might have positive downstream effects on child health beyond contraceptive use and fertility outcomes.

Research about the relationship between the health, economic development and public health expenditure----Evidence: From 11 coastal cities in China

This paper firstly makes a statement on the necessity of this topic and the practical significance behind it. Then it combs through the relevant theories and literature on health capital, public health expenditure, health economics, and economic growth, and analyses the impact and effect of public health expenditure on health capital as well as economic growth in light of scholars' explorations and findings. By collecting relevant data in recent years in Beijing, China, the impact of public health expenditure on economic growth is explored using econometric methods with Beijing as the main research object. The explanatory variable is public health expenditure, the explanatory variables are health capital and economic growth situation in Beijing, and the rest of the control variables are environment, education, and social situation. According to the data relationship between the explanatory variables and the explanatory variables, the authors put forward different research hypotheses and establish different regression models respectively, so as to explore their correlation. The results of the study show that: Beijing government health expenditure has a great role in promoting health capital, and there is still much room for the government to improve it at present; public health expenditure has a significant positive impact on the economy of Beijing, indicating that increasing public health expenditure helps to promote economic growth, which provides theoretical support and empirical evidence for further improvement of public health policy. Finally, on the basis of empirical analysis, this paper puts forward policy recommendations to increase public health expenditure and improve health capital level in Beijing, so as to promote the economic growth of Beijing based on the correlation between the actual health expenditure, health capital and economic growth in Beijing.

Barriers and facilitators of prevention of infections related to cancer: A systematic literature review

Chronic infections such as Helicobacter pylori (Hp), Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Human papillomavirus (HPV) are a major cause of gastric, liver, and HPV-related cancers that contribute significantly to the global burden of human cancers. Infections related to cancers can be prevented by preventing infection through vaccination, timely detection through screening, and eradication of the underlying infections. These strategies have proven effective in different countries, but the participation rates of vaccination, screening, and eradication programs for Hp, HCV, and HPV are less than optimal. Research has shown that participation rates are influenced by various social, cultural, economic, and personal barriers and facilitators. To uncover the current evidence and enhance the understanding of the factors of prevention of infections related to cancer, we conducted a systematic literature review of such barriers and facilitators. We searched Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases to identify relevant original articles published between 2013 and 2023. After screening 685 articles, a total of 23 studies were included for full-text analysis. Most of the studies analyzed factors related to the prevention of HBV, HPV, and HCV infections, while there was a relative lack of studies for Hp infections. Vaccination as a prevention measure of infections related to cancer was analyzed in most of the studies, followed by screening and treatment. We found several personal, social, economic, and cultural factors that act as barriers to the prevention of infections related to cancer and classified and connected these barriers and facilitators through the prism of health capital. Knowledge about the barriers that influence individuals’ engagement with prevention measures of infections related to cancer has the potential to inform and guide health policymakers by targeting vulnerable populations through effective educational programs and improvements to the quality of healthcare services.

Exploring Smokers Perspectives on Health Status and Health Seeking Behavior: A Qualitative Exploration

Objective: Smokers might tend to ignore when communicating about smoking health risks. We used Bourdieu’s conceptual tool to guide and explore their perception of being healthy despite their smoking behavior and their health seeking practice. Material and Methods: A qualitative method, using a semi-structured interview as the main method of collecting the data, was used. This method was implemented because of its flexibility in the exploration, based on participant responses. Results: The findings are reported as per the thematic analysis of 15 purposively selected participants. The ages of the 15 participants varied from 20 to 55 years old, and they were selected from the quantitative study to participate voluntarily in this qualitative exploration. Among them, 14 were males and one was female. The ethnic representation in this qualitative part were Malays (n=14) and Chinese (n=1). The duration of smoking varied in the sample, with the majority smoking for more than five years. Conclusion: This study better understands smokers’ health perception and their health-seeking behavior. Firstly, the perception of the less harmful effects of smoking on the health of smokers was understood within the views of Bourdieu’s Theory of Cultural Health Capital, which, in turn poses challenges to smoking cessation programs and campaigns. This study reported that smokers perceived themselves as healthy, and thus continued their smoking habit despite knowing its side effects.

Will the situation of Left-Behind children improve when their parents Return? evidence from China

Based on Grossman’s (1972) health model and Becker and Tomes’ (1979, 1986) cognitive ability family decision-making model, this study examines the impact and mechanisms of children’s left-behind status and parental return on the accumulation of children’s health and cognitive human capital. By extending these models, we derive that changes in left-behind status have both income and separation effects on children’s human capital accumulation. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), we employ a Propensity Score Matching with Difference-in-Differences (PSM-DID) model to investigate the impact of changes in left-behind status (either remaining left-behind or experiencing parental return) on children’s human capital accumulation. The research findings reveal the following: (1) Compared to non-left-behind children, left-behind status significantly decreases children’s health levels by 11.81%. In contrast, parental return significantly improves children’s health levels by 13.04% compared to children whose parents are away. All results are statistically significant. (2) The negative impact of left-behind status is more pronounced for primary school children, those residing in rural areas, and those with parents of lower educational levels, especially in western regions. In contrast, parental return has a more substantial positive impact on junior high school children, those living in rural areas, and those with parents of lower educational levels, particularly in western regions. (3) When analyzing the impact mechanisms, we find that although parental migration for work increases household income, leading to a positive income effect on children’s health, it does not fully offset the negative separation effect caused by parental absence. As a result, the overall effect remains negative. Based on these findings, for migrant worker parents, we propose tiered recommendations: ideally, parents should return home; alternatively, children should follow their parents. For the government, we suggest establishing comprehensive service centers for left-behind children based on actual needs. We recommend designing a holistic plan aimed at addressing the health issues of left-behind children through multi-level support measures.

Social class and informal caregiving for family members with Alzheimer’s disease: the role of economic capital, cultural health capital, and social capital

This paper explores the multifaceted experiences of informal caregivers providing care for family members afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease, examining how these experiences are influenced by social class, and the role of economic capital, cultural health capital, and social capital. Drawing upon Bourdieu’s theoretical framework, this paper conducts a qualitative thematic analysis to analyze twenty-five semi-structured interviews with caregivers and three interviews with medical professionals. The paper reveals how distinct forms of capital (economic, social, and cultural health capital) shape the caregiving experiences for family members with Alzheimer’s disease. Notably, upper-class caregivers leverage both economic and cultural health capital to ease the burden associated with caregiving, while lower-class caregivers harness social capital. The paper challenges the prevailing deficit model of capital by shedding light on how lower-class caregivers demonstrate resourcefulness in seeking support beyond the health system. However, the findings also underscore a persistent and widening discrepancy in the caregiving experience. The paper concludes with policy suggestions, substantive and theoretical implications, and acknowledgement of methodological limitations.

Measurement on Health Capital of Workforce: Evidence from China

Measurement on Health Capital of Workforce: Evidence from China

Sleep Capital: Linking Brain Health to Wellbeing and Economic Productivity Across the Lifespan

Introduction and frameworkSleep capital contributes to individual and societal wellbeing, productivity, and economic outcomes and involves a novel aspect of brain capital. It encompasses the quality and quantity of sleep as integral components that influence cognitive abilities, mental and brain health, and physical health, affecting workplace productivity, learning, decision-making, and overall economic performance. Here, we bring a framework to understand the complex relationship between sleep quality, health, wellbeing, and economic productivity. Then we outline the multilevel impact of sleep on cognitive abilities, mental/brain health, and economic indicators, providing evidence for the substantial returns on investment in sleep health initiatives. Moreover, sleep capital is a key factor when considering brain health across the lifespan, especially for the aging population. DiscussionWe propose specific elements and main variables to develop specific indexes of sleep capital to address its impacts on health, wellbeing and productivity. ConclusionFinally, we suggest policy recommendations, workplace interventions, and individual strategies to promote sleep health and brain capital. Investing in sleep capital is essential for fostering a healthier, happier, fairer and more productive society.

Volunteer group participation and subsequent health and well-being among older adults in Japan: An outcome-wide longitudinal approach

BackgroundPrior studies have underscored the importance of studying volunteering in the East Asian context. However, no study has conducted a holistic assessment of the relationship between volunteering and the multidimensional health and well-being outcomes of East Asian populations using a strong study design for causal inference. To address this gap, this study examined the associations between volunteer group participation and the subsequent health and well-being of Japanese older adults. MethodsThree waves of data (2013, 2016, and 2019), obtained from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study—a nationwide cohort study of physically and cognitively independent older adults, aged ≥ 65 years, in Japan—were utilized. Exposure was evaluated as the frequency of volunteer group participation: ≥ 1/week, 1 − 3 times a month, a few times a year, and none (2016). As outcomes, 40 indicators of health and well-being were assessed across seven domains (2019): physical/cognitive health, health behaviors, mental health, subjective well-being, social well-being, pro-social/altruistic behaviors, and cognitive social capital. We included 47,318 respondents for four outcomes (death, dementia, and functional disability [any level and level 2 or greater]) and 34,187 respondents for the 36 other outcomes. ResultsMore frequent volunteering (≥ 1/week) was associated with higher social well-being outcomes, more frequent pro-social/altruistic behaviors and outings, and fewer depressive symptoms, even after considering multiple testing. ConclusionThroughout the three-year follow-ups, volunteer group participation was beneficial for depressive symptoms, social well-being, and other proximal outcomes.

Social Determinants of Health and Psychological Capital Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness.

Social determinants of health affect health behaviors and outcomes. Youth experiencing homelessness suffer significant deprivation of resources such as inadequate housing, reduced education, poor health care, and decreased economic stability. Inner resources, such as psychological capital, may also be related to health behaviors and health outcomes. In this study, we sought to describe and explore associations among selected determinants of health and self-reported scores on indicators of psychological capital among youth experiencing homelessness. This cross-sectional secondary analysis was conducted with a randomized subsample of 148 youth. We calculated chi-square frequencies to describe the data, classical item analyses to evaluate responses, and correlation tests to examine significance of associations. Youth in this sample demonstrated that they possess inner resources associated with determinants of health. Education, health care, and social support were significantly associated with attributes of psychological capital (hope, efficacy, resilience, optimism). Sexual minority groups had high representation in this subsample (25.7%), indicating a need for more study and equitable services for this population. More research should be conducted to better understand the associations between determinants of health, psychological capital, and health behaviors among disadvantaged youth to advance health equity initiatives.

Enhancing Health Capital and Promoting Common Prosperity from the Perspective of Emerging Technologies

Achieving common prosperity is the essential requirement of socialism with Chinese characteristics and requires promoting social fairness and justice by improving the health level of the entire population. Health capital plays a crucial role in personal development, social mobility, and economic growth. However, health disparities among different groups also constrain income distribution and social mobility. In the process of building a healthy China, emerging technologies have provided new paths for narrowing health inequalities and improving health capital. This paper first analyzes how inequality in health capability affects social mobility and then explores the application of emerging technologies such as internet healthcare, artificial intelligence, wearable devices, and genetic technology in promoting public health. It also presents practical cases to demonstrate the positive role of these technologies in improving medical efficiency and quality. In terms of theoretical foundation, the paper comprehensively applies theories of human capital, social stratification, and public economics, striving to deepen the understanding of the relationship between health and common prosperity from an interdisciplinary perspective. Finally, policy suggestions are put forward in terms of optimizing fiscal expenditure structure, improving health insurance, and incentivizing health promotion. The challenges and countermeasures that may be faced in policy implementation are also discussed. Narrowing the health gap requires leveraging the empowering role of emerging technologies, optimizing health investment structure, and improving policy systems while adhering to the concept of co-construction and sharing. This will ultimately enable the entire population to share the fruits of healthy development and provide a health foundation for promoting common prosperity.

Mental health inequality between urban and rural youth under COVID-19 from survey data from China.

While health inequality has been the focus of past scholarly discussions, COVID-19's outbreak and spread have provided a new arena for discussing health inequality, particularly in the context of urban-rural disparities in China. This paper explores the impact of COVID-19 on urban-rural health inequality, and the roles played by socioeconomic status and social capital. A cross-sectional observational collected data on demographics, mental health, socioeconomic status, and social capital. An online survey was administered from August 27 to August 30, 2020, and, 1936 valid samples were received. Mental health was measured using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18). This study applied the ordinary least squares regression (OLS) model, and data analysis was performed using STATA. There were 1936 participants, with an equal distribution of genders. Multiple regression analysis showed that the mental health levels of rural youth were superior to those of urban youth (p = 0.049), especially when the epidemic was not severe (p = 0.013). Socioeconomic status had a significant positive promotion effect on mental health (p = 0.008), but the interaction effect between socioeconomic status and the urban-rural divide indicated that the promotion effect of socioeconomic status on the mental health of urban youth was greater than that of rural youth (p = 0.04). Social capital had a significant positive promotion effect on mental health (p = 0.000), and the interaction effect indicated that this promoting effect did not differ between urban and rural areas (p > 0.05).

Neuroecological links of the exposome and One Health

This NeuroView assesses the interplay among exposome, One Health, and brain capital in health and disease. Physical and social exposomes affect brain health, and green brain skills are required for environmental health strategies. Ibanez etal. address current gaps and strategies needed in research, policy, and technology, offering a road map for stakeholders.

Health Capital and a Sustainable Economic-Growth Nexus: A High-Frequency-Data Analysis during COVID-19

The recent COVID-19 pandemic effectively concretized the vitality of health expenditure and the economic-growth nexus, and the threat of new pandemics make re-examining this relationship a necessity. Consequently, this paper focuses on this nexus for developed OECD countries, paying particular attention to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of stock indices as proxy variables for health expenditure and economic growth enabled the examination of this nexus by using high-frequency data and financial econometric techniques, specifically via rolling correlation and bivariate GARCH analyses. The data span 1170 observations between 15 May 2018 and 11 November 2022. Since the research period overlaps with the outbreak of Ukraine–Russia war, additional insights are obtained regarding the effects of the war as well. It was found that an increase in health expenditure leads to a delayed increase in economic growth even in the short term, and this relationship mainly develops during crises such as epidemics, wars, supply chain breakdowns, etc., for developed OECD countries. Given the aging population of developed countries, which will probably deteriorate the health status of those countries in the near future, the increasing political tensions around the globe and the considerations of a global recession highlight the importance and the inevitability of investments in health capital for developed countries as well.

Why did this happen to me? Causal attributions of illness and cultural health capital

This study examines how conversations between patients and clinicians about the causes of their health conditions relate to patient engagement in care. Leveraging cultural health capital (CHC) theory, we find that patient-physician discussions of health attributions are one mechanism to build patient understanding and activate engagement. We present a qualitative interpretive analysis of data collected in three phases with adult home health care patients: phone interviews (n = 28), field observations (n = 61), and semi-structured field interviews (n = 38). We find that engaging in discussions of causal health attributions with clinicians enables patients to overcome uncertainty, envision preventive actions, and engage in setting future goals. Such discussions must be supported by acknowledgement of the co-responsibility of individual factors and structural factors such as social determinants of health. These discussions are not easy to navigate but they can potentially help patients transition from a mindset of treating the disease (pathogenic approach) to an awareness of their available capabilities to improve health (salutogenic approach). This study contributes to research on attribution theory and cultural health capital theory by demonstrating how discussing causes for poor health can enable patients resolve doubts and accrue instrumental and symbolic resources that facilitate healing.