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The Roots of Health Inequality and the Value of Intrafamily Expertise

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  • Yiqun Chen
  • Petra Persson
  • Maria Polyakova

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Yiqun Chen & Petra Persson & Maria Polyakova, 2022. "The Roots of Health Inequality and the Value of Intrafamily Expertise," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(3), pages 185-223, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:14:y:2022:i:3:p:185-223
    DOI: 10.1257/app.20200405
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Wenyi Lu & Siyuan Fan, 2024. "Drinking in despair: Unintended consequences of automation in China," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(9), pages 2088-2104, September.
    2. Amy Finkelstein & Geoffrey Kocks & Maria Polyakova & Victoria Udalova, 2022. "Heterogeneity in Damages from A Pandemic," NBER Working Papers 30658, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Kennedy-Moulton, Kate & Miller, Sarah & Persson, Petra & Rossin-Slater, Maya & Wherry, Laura R. & Aldana, Gloria, 2022. "Maternal and Infant Health Inequality: New Evidence from Linked Administrative Data," IZA Discussion Papers 15745, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Jena, Anupam B. & Slusky, David & Springer, Lilly, 2023. "Occupational Hazard? An Analysis of Birth Outcomes among Physician Mothers," IZA Discussion Papers 16655, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Kadir Atalay & Rebecca Edwards & Fiona Georgiakakis, 2023. "Mortality inequality, spatial differences and health care access," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(11), pages 2632-2654, November.
    6. Stephenson Strobel, 2023. "Waiting for Dr. Godot: how much and who responds to predicted health care wait times?," Papers 2309.13219, arXiv.org.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D15 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I13 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Insurance, Public and Private
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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