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: PSL, Paris-Dauphine University
Alain Paraponaris: Aix-Marseille Univ., CNRS, AMSE, Marseille, France, https://www.amse-aixmarseille.fr/en/members/paraponaris
Nicolas Sirven: Arenes (UMR CNRS 6051), EHESP, The French School of Public Health, Paris/Rennes.

No 2529, AMSE Working Papers from Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France

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)
JEL-codes: I10 I12 J18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 32 pages
Date: 2025-12
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aim:wpaimx:2529

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