Healthcare spillovers of spousal health shocks in China: evidence from administrative data

Yufei Xie (), Yiheng Liu () and Jin Feng ()
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Yufei Xie: University of California
Yiheng Liu: The Chinese University of Hong kong
Jin Feng: Fudan University

Journal of Population Economics, 2025, vol. 38, issue 1, No 21, 28 pages

Abstract: Abstract This paper studies the impact of a person’s severe health shocks on their spouse’s healthcare behaviors. Using healthcare administrative data in China, we document that a person’s initial cancer diagnosis has an immediate and lasting positive impact on their spouse’s healthcare utilization. The results point to information spillovers as a primary mechanism and reveal a significant negative impact on mental health, while the negative effect of the financial burden is weak. Notably, there are significant gender differences in responses, with the impact more pronounced among wives. The results highlight the role of family coordination in responding to adverse health events in the developing country context.

Keywords: Health shocks; Family health behaviors; Information spillovers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I13 J12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s00148-025-01081-8

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