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The impact of financial insecurity on self-reported health: Europe in cross-national perspective

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  • Blázquez, Maite
  • Moro-Egido, Ana I.

Abstract

Using the EU-SILC 2008 module on over-indebtedness and financial exclusion, this paper analyses how perceived future-orientated economic insecurity alters individual self-assessed health (SAH), once controlling for past and current financial situation in a range of European countries. Those effects differ by gender and by country. Our results also suggest that country characteristics explain a larger part of the unknown variability of individual levels of SAH than individual-household characteristics. Thus, our findings might be of help in designing the most effective policies intended to alleviate the individual welfare costs of perceived financial insecurity provoked by upcoming business-cycle downturns.

Suggested Citation

  • Blázquez, Maite & Moro-Egido, Ana I., 2023. "The impact of financial insecurity on self-reported health: Europe in cross-national perspective," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1123-1137.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:80:y:2023:i:c:p:1123-1137
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2023.09.038
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Self-assessed health; Financial insecurity; Cross country differences; Prospect theory; Loss aversion; Scarring and anticipation effects; Multilevel techniques;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C29 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Other
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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