nep-hea New Economics Papers
on Health Economics
Issue of 2010‒01‒30
eleven papers chosen by
Yong Yin
SUNY at Buffalo, USA

  1. Assessing old-age long-term care using the concepts of healthy life expectancy and care duration: the new parameter "Long-Term Care-Free Life-Expectancy (LTCF)" By Rembrandt D. Scholz; Anne Schulz
  2. Mortality, Human Capital and Persistent Inequality By Shankha Chakraborty
  3. Examining Role of the State in Health Care: A Study of Motikhavadi-Special Economic Zone (SEZ-Jamnagar) By Shilpa Jadhav Bhakre
  4. Mothers’ Investments in Child Health in the U.S. and U.K.: A Comparative Lens on the Immigrant 'Paradox' By Margot Jackson; Sara McLanahan; Kathleen Kiernan
  5. Inheritances, Health and Death By Beomsoo Kim; Christopher J. Ruhm
  6. The consequences of own and spousal disability on labor market outcomes and subjective well-being: Evidence from Germany By Nils Braakmann
  7. The Effects of Parental Death and Chronic Poverty on Children’s Education and Health- Evidence from Indonesia By Daniel Suryadarma; Yus Medina Pakpahan; Asep Suryahadi
  8. Health Sector Trends Data Based on Susenas 1995–2006 By Silvia Devina; Wenefrida Widyanti; Fitri Huriyati
  9. Qualitative Baseline Study for PNPM Generasi and PKH- The Availability and Use of the Maternal and Child Health Services and Basic Education Services in the Provinces of West Java and East Nusa Tenggara By Sri Kusumastuti Rahayu; Nina Toyamah; Stella Aleida Hutagalung; Meuthia Rosfadhila; Muhammad Syukri
  10. APEC and Infectious Disease- Meeting the Challenge By Joel Gilbourd
  11. Challenges in Health Services Trade- Philippine Case By Jovi C. Dacanay; Maria Cherry Lyn S. Rodolfo

  1. By: Rembrandt D. Scholz (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany); Anne Schulz
    Abstract: Achieving old ages is also connected with prevalence of illness and long-term care. With the introduction of the statutory long-term care insurance in 1996 and the long-term care statistics in 1999 research data of about 2.3 million people receiving long-term care benefits is available. Average life expectancy can be qualitatively divided into lifetime spent in good health and lifetime spent in long-term care dependence (average care duration). In Germany women’s and men’s average care duration amount 3.6 years respectively 2.1 years.
    Keywords: Germany, ageing, laboratories, life expectancy
    JEL: J1 Z0
    Date: 2010–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dem:wpaper:wp-2010-001&r=hea
  2. By: Shankha Chakraborty
    Abstract: Available evidence suggests high intergenerational correlation of economic status, and persistent disparities in health status between the rich and the poor. This paper proposes a novel mechanism linking the two. Health human capital is introduced into a two-period overlapping generations model. [CDE WP No. 119].
    Keywords: Life Expectancy, human capital, intergenerational correlation, Health, Human Capital, Income Distribution, health status, rich, poor, intergenerational mobility, equity, US economy
    Date: 2010
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:2365&r=hea
  3. By: Shilpa Jadhav Bhakre
    Abstract: This paper examines the health services provided by Reliance Industries in the village, Motikhavadi, which comes under the Special economic Zone- Jamnagar to scrutinise the role of the state, especially the monitoring mechanism. While analysing this (Community Health Centre, Reliance) unusual model of Public private partnership, the paper asks the critical question of conceptual transparency - whether the State looks at public health as a need based commodity or basic right of the individual, which has to be ensured.
    Keywords: Gujarat, NGO, Motikhavadi, commodity, basic right, individual, special economic zone, SEZ, Jamnagar, health centre, reliance, Public private partnership, PPP, village, public health, community, services, industries,
    Date: 2010
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:2374&r=hea
  4. By: Margot Jackson (Brown University); Sara McLanahan (Princeton University); Kathleen Kiernan (University of York)
    Abstract: Research on the immigrant paradox healthier behaviors and outcomes among more socioeconomically disadvantaged immigrants is mostly limited to the U.S. Hispanic population and to the study of birth outcomes. Using data from the Fragile Families Study and the Millennium Cohort Study, we expand our understanding of this phenomenon in several ways. First, we examine whether the healthier behaviors of Hispanic immigrant mothers extend to other foreign-born groups, including non-Hispanic immigrant mothers in the U.S. and white, South Asian, black African and Caribbean, and other (largely East Asian) immigrants in the U.K, including higher SES groups. Second, we consider not only the size of the paradox at the time of the child's birth, but also the degree of its persistence into early childhood. Third, we examine whether nativity disparities are weaker in the U.K., where a much stronger welfare state makes health information and care more readily accessible. Finally, we examine whether differences in mothers’ instrumental and social support both inside and out of the home can explain healthier behaviors among the foreign-born. The results suggest that healthier behaviors among immigrants are not limited to Hispanics or to low SES groups; that nativity differences are fairly persistent over time; that the immigrant advantage is equally strong in both countries; and that the composition and strength of mothers’ support plays a trivial explanatory role in both countries. These findings lead us to speculate that what underlies nativity differences in mothers’ health behaviors may be a strong parenting investment on the part of immigrants.
    Keywords: Fragile Families Study, Millennium Cohort Study, immigrants, behavior
    JEL: D10 D19 D69 H31 J12
    Date: 2009–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pri:crcwel:1210&r=hea
  5. By: Beomsoo Kim (Department of Economics, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea); Christopher J. Ruhm (University of North Carolina Greensboro and National Bureau of Economic Research)
    Abstract: We examine how wealth shocks, in the form of inheritances, affect the mortality rates, health status and health behaviors of older adults, using data from eight waves of the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS). Our main finding is that bequests do not have substantial effects on health status, although some improvements in quality-of-life are possible. This absence occurs despite increases in out-of-pocket (OOP) spending on health care and in the utilization of medical services, especially discretionary and non-lifesaving types such as dental care. Nor can we find a convincing indication of changes in lifestyles that offset the benefits of increased medical care. Inheritances are associated with higher alcohol consumption, but with no change in smoking or exercise and a possible decrease in obesity.
    Date: 2010
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iek:wpaper:1001&r=hea
  6. By: Nils Braakmann (Institute of Economics, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany)
    Abstract: In this paper, I contrast the effects of individual and spousal disability on subjective wellbeing and labor supply using data on couples from the German Socio-Economic Panel for the years 1984 to 2006. I find that both men and women reduce their propensity to work when they or their partner become disabled. The effects of spousal disability are economically large. I find no evidence for hours and wage adjustments by spousal disability, although there are wage effects of individual disability. The life-satisfaction of women, but not of men, is reduced considerably by their partners’ disability. The effects are about 33 to 50% as large as those of individual disability. I also find no evidence that individuals adapt to their partners’ disability, although there is adaption to individual disability.
    Keywords: disability, labor supply, subjective well-being, adaption; other-regarding preferences
    JEL: D64 I10 J14
    Date: 2010–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lue:wpaper:161&r=hea
  7. By: Daniel Suryadarma; Yus Medina Pakpahan; Asep Suryahadi (SMERU Research Institute)
    Abstract: Using a sufficiently long-spanning longitudinal dataset, we estimate the short and long term effects of maternal and paternal death on children’s school enrollment, educational attainment, and health in Indonesia, then compare them to the effect of chronic poverty. We also investigate whether there are any gender dimensions in the effects. We find that young maternal orphans have worse educational outcomes than non-orphans, with the effect getting worse over time. However, we find no significant effect of orphanhood on health. However, chronically poor children have worse health and education outcomes. Among young children, the effect of maternal orphanhood on education is significantly more adverse than that of chronic poverty. Finally, chronically poor orphans do not suffer adverse effects beyond the effects of chronic poverty.
    Keywords: orphanhood, chronic poverty, education, health, children, Indonesia
    JEL: I10 I21 I31
    Date: 2010–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eab:develo:1638&r=hea
  8. By: Silvia Devina; Wenefrida Widyanti; Fitri Huriyati (SMERU Research Institute)
    Abstract: This data on health sector trends is based on the Susenas dataset of 1995-2006, which was collected by Statistics Indonesia (BPS). These tables cover all of the important indicators of health in Indonesia including morbidity, outpatient contact rates, immunization, choice of provider, contraceptive use, healthcare expenditures, and births assisted by skilled personnel, disaggregated by the main sources of household income, consumption quintiles, regions, urban/rural areas, sex and age groups, and education levels. We would like to express our gratitude to Menno Pradhan, Claudia Rokx, and Ioana Kruse from the World Bank, who initiated and facilitated this data analysis, and who provided guidance and suggestions. We would also like to thank Robert Sparrow for his technical help on dofile for the STATA program.
    JEL: Y10
    Date: 2010–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eab:develo:1627&r=hea
  9. By: Sri Kusumastuti Rahayu; Nina Toyamah; Stella Aleida Hutagalung; Meuthia Rosfadhila; Muhammad Syukri (SMERU Research Institute)
    Abstract: This study explores the qualitative data on why some Indonesians do not use basic maternal and child health services and why some Indonesians do not send their children to primary or junior high schools, which will serve as a baseline for future PNPM Generasi (Program Nasional Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Generasi Sehat dan Cerdas) and PKH (Program Keluarga Harapan) evaluations. Based on results of FGDs, in-depth interviews, and direct observations conducted in West Java and NTT, the study finds that physical access limitations and isolation, economic access limitations, and the belief in the traditional custom are the main reasons why some community members do not use modern mother and child health services for pre- and postnatal monitoring or for delivery. Problems related to physical access and financial access are also the main reasons for attrition and why some parents do not send their children to junior high school.
    Keywords: Qualitative baseline data, PNPM Generasi, PKH, basic maternal and child health services, basic education services, Indonesia
    JEL: J13 I21 C00
    Date: 2010–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eab:develo:1625&r=hea
  10. By: Joel Gilbourd (University of Sydney)
    Abstract: This paper considers how the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) process, given its institutional characteristics, can contribute to the efforts undertaken by the World Health Organisation (WHO) against infectious disease (ID). By considering the history of APEC’s ID initiatives, this paper will show that there is sufficient interest among APEC’s members in using APEC as a health forum for APEC to significantly contribute to the WHO’s work in this field. It will then outline the nature of the current international ID threat, what needs to be done to counteract it, and what factors impede effective countermeasures. The measures through which APEC can help the international community to overcome these impediments will then be considered. Lastly, the paper will show that these measures add value to the WHO process and do not duplicate it.
    Date: 2010–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eab:develo:906&r=hea
  11. By: Jovi C. Dacanay; Maria Cherry Lyn S. Rodolfo (Philippine Institute for Development Studies)
    Abstract: There is a growing emphasis on the role of trade in health services (telehealth, health tourism and retirement, investments and deployment of medical professionals) in easing fiscal constraints, generating jobs and income, improving infrastructure and financing, and upgrading the capacities of health professionals. This paper seeks to identify the opportunities, barriers, and risks for the Philippines in participating in global trade in health services. It examines the country’s capabilities in engaging in trade and identifies strategic directions that the Philippines can pursue. It also presents the different market niches that can be tapped relative to the opportunities, namely- the aging populations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations; the shortage of medical professionals in those countries; the long waiting lines in hospital facilities; the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of the United States; and the poor healthcare systems in other countries. It also addresses the weaknesses in the supply capabilities of the country�the lack of a policy framework to develop the healthcare services sector in a globalized environment, the lack of human resources planning, and the lack of alignment in the initiatives of the government and private sector.
    Keywords: trade, health services, Insurance, Philippines
    JEL: I10 I18 L89
    Date: 2010–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eab:tradew:1740&r=hea

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