The Roots of Health Inequality and the Value of Intrafamily Expertise

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Chen, Yiqun; Persson, Petra; Polyakova, Maria
• 署名单位: University of Illinois System; University of Illinois Chicago; University of Illinois Chicago Hospital; Stanford University; Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN); National Bureau of Economic Research; Stanford University
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-APPLIED ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7782
• DOI: 10.1257/app.20200405
• 发表日期: 2022
• 页码: 185-223
• 关键词: socioeconomic-status; life-style; intergenerational transmission; medical-school; infant health; literacy; childhood; mortality; education; FAMILY

摘要

In the context of Sweden, we show that having a doctor in the family raises preventive health investments throughout the life cycle, improves physical health, and prolongs life. Two quasi-experimental research designs-medical school admission lotteries and variation in the timing of medical degrees-support a causal interpretation of these effects. A hypothetical policy that would bring the same health behavior changes and benefits to all Swedes would close 18 percent of the mortality-income gradient. Our results suggest that socioeconomic differences in exposure to health-related expertise may meaningfully contribute to health inequality.