| By: |
Liu, Gordon G. (Peking University);
Kwon, Ohyun (University of Wisconsin-Madison);
Xue, Xindong (Zhongnan University of Economics and Law);
Fleisher, Belton M. (Ohio State University) |
| Abstract: |
The impact of socio-economic status on health has been widely recognized, but
the independent impact of social status alone on health remains inconclusive.
We approach this challenge by exploiting a natural experiment in which
subjects undergo a shift in their social status without considerable economic
impact. We gather data on 4190 scientists who were either nominated for or
successfully elected to the Chinese Academy of Science or of Engineering.
Being elected as an academician in China is a boost in social status
(vice-ministerial level) with negligible economic impact (US$30 monthly before
2009). After correcting for two sources of bias: 1) Some potential
academicians decease too young to be elected, leading to immortal-time bias in
favor of academicians and 2) the endogenous relationship between health and
social status, we find that the enhanced social status of becoming an
academician leads to approximately 1.2-years longer life. |
| Keywords: |
social status, health, academician, China |
| JEL: |
I12 |
| Date: |
2014–02 |
| URL: |
http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8010&r=cna |