Investigating Community Structural Disadvantage, Health Insurance Coverage and Self-rated Physical Health in Rural China

• In Event: 598 - Section on Asia and Asian America Roundtable Session.
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 02. Health and Well-Being in Asia

Abstract

Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey and China General Social Survey, I model the effects of community and individual level predictors on self-rated health using hierarchical probit models. My analyses investigate the role of community structural characteristics—including insufficient public infrastructure, residential instability, and level of market reform—as well as health insurance coverage in promoting self-reported physical health in rural China. First, I find that the effect of community socioeconomic disadvantage on individual self-rated health is not statistically significant when individual socioeconomic and health-related indicators are controlled. Second, individuals in rural China residing in communities with higher level of health insurance coverage report better subjective physical health. Finally, community socioeconomic disadvantage and overall health insurance coverage rate condition the positive effects of individual level predictors on self-rated physical health in rural China.

Author

• Shih-Chi Lin, University of Oregon