Family income and child health in the UK

Bénédicte Apouey and Pierre Geoffard

Journal of Health Economics, 2013, vol. 32, issue 4, 715-727

Abstract: Recent studies examining the relationship between family income and child health in the UK have produced mixed findings. We re-examine the income gradient in child general health and its evolution with child age in this country, using a very large sample of British children. We find that there is no correlation between income and child general health at ages 0–1, that the gradient emerges around age 2 and is constant from age 2 to age 17. In addition, we show that the gradient remains large and significant when we reduce the endogeneity of income. Furthermore, our results indicate that the gradient in general health reflects a greater prevalence of chronic conditions among low-income children and a greater severity of these conditions. Taken together, these findings suggest that income does matter for child health in the UK and may play a role in the intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic status.

Keywords: Child health; Family income; Income gradient; Health inequality; Use of health care services (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (34)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Family income and child health in the UK (2013)
Working Paper: Family income and child health in the UK (2013)
Working Paper: Family income and child health in the UK (2013)
Working Paper: Family income and child health in the UK (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:32:y:2013:i:4:p:715-727

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2013.03.006

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