Chronic diseases and self-rated health disparity between urban and rural residents in China

Yu Wang and Li Liu

PLOS ONE, 2025, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-12

Abstract: This study investigates the significant disparities between urban and rural areas in China, particularly in terms of health status, which are driven by economic inequality and the uneven distribution of healthcare resources. Chronic diseases are a major threat to the health of Chinese residents, and this study explores how these diseases contribute to the disparity in self-rated health between urban and rural populations. Using data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey, various data analysis methods, including descriptive, regression, and decomposition analyses, were employed. The results reveal substantial disparities in self-rated health between urban and rural residents, with chronic diseases playing a significant role in explaining these disparities. Approximately 39% of the urban-rural disparity in self-rated health can be explained by differences in chronic disease prevalence, with additional factors such as age, socio-economic status, social participation, and sleep quality also contributing. This study identified the correlation between chronic diseases and the disparity in self-rated health, and limitations may arise from the use of self-reported health and the complexity of urban-rural health disparities. The findings suggest that the urban-rural disparity in chronic diseases is the primary driver of the health disparity, and that policymakers should focus on improving health education, promoting chronic disease prevention and management, and emphasizing preventive healthcare in rural areas.

Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0324287

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0324287

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