Diabetes, employment and behavioural risk factors in China: Marginal structural models versus fixed effects models

Till Seuring, Pieter Serneels, Marc Suhrcke and Max Bachmann

Economics & Human Biology, 2020, vol. 39, issue C

Abstract: We use longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, covering the years 1997–2011, to estimate the effect of a diabetes diagnosis on an economic outcome (employment probabilities) and behavioural risk factors (alcohol consumption, smoking cessation, body mass index (BMI), physical activity and hypertension) for men and women. We apply two complementary statistical techniques—marginal structural models (MSMs) and fixed effects (FE) models—to deal with confounding. Both methods suggest, despite their different underlying assumptions, similar patterns that indicate important differences between men and women. Employment probabilities decline substantially after the diagnosis for women (−12.4 (MSM) and −15.5 (FE) percentage points), but do not change significantly for men. In particular, the MSM estimates indicate an increase in hypertension (13 percentage points) and a decrease in physical activity for women, while men have small and statistically insignificant changes in these outcomes. For BMI, the MSM results indicate statistically significant changes for men (−.76), but not for women, while the FE estimates show similar reductions for men and women (−.80 and −.73 respectively). Men also reduce their alcohol consumption, but do not cease to smoke. For women these risk factors have a prevalence close to zero to begin with, though women seem to still reduce alcohol consumption somewhat. These results suggest important gender differences in the impact of diabetes in China. To narrow these inequities policies supporting women to reduce diabetes related risk factors are likely important.

Keywords: China; Diabetes; Employment; Behavioural risk factors; Marginal structural model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D83 E24 F61 I12 I14 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Working Paper: Diabetes, Employment and Behavioural Risk Factors in China: Marginal Structural Models versus Fixed Effects Models (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:39:y:2020:i:c:s1570677x20301957

DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2020.100925

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