When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going? Health and Self-employment in Europe

Clémentine Garrouste, Alain Paraponaris and Nicolas Sirven
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Clémentine Garrouste: Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres
Alain Paraponaris: AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Nicolas Sirven: ARENES - Arènes: politique, santé publique, environnement, médias - UR - Université de Rennes - Institut d'Études Politiques [IEP] - Rennes - EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique - UR2 - Université de Rennes 2 - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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Abstract: We provide a comprehensive picture of the change in the health status for the self-employed aged 50 and upwards in Europe. We find that self-employed workers are in better physical health than employees at younger ages, due potentially to a selection effect. We also find a negative effect of self-employment status on objective health, leading to worse physical conditions at older ages, despite a catching-up of healthcare consumption after retirement. The examination of the evolution of the self-employed healthcare consumption enables us to distinguish two components: an intense health restoration effect and a regular one, corresponding to two distinct periods in their life. We interpreted the former effect as the increased probability of the self-employed to be hospitalized during their careers, meaning that the self-employed seek care later or for serious reasons only. The latter effect or the regular restoration effect meaning a greater number of medical visits for the self-employed after retirement which is potentially due to a reduction in the opportunity cost of the use of healthcare resources.

Keywords: Self-employment; Health status; Health care consumption; SHARE survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-12
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