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Thank goodness for stickiness: Unravelling the evolution of income-related health inequalities before and after the Great Recession in Europe

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  • Coveney, Max
  • García-Gómez, Pilar
  • van Doorslaer, Eddy
  • Van Ourti, Tom

Abstract

The Great Recession in Europe sparked concerns that the crisis would lead to increased income related health inequalities (IRHI). Did this come to pass, and what role, if any, did government transfers play in the evolution of these inequalities? Motivated by these questions, this paper seeks to (i) study the evolution of IRHI during the crisis, and (ii) decompose these evolutions to examine the separate roles of government versus market transfers. Using panel data for 7 EU countries from 2004 to 2013, we find no evidence that IRHI persistently rose after 2008, even in countries most affected by the crisis. Our decomposition reveals that, while the health of the poorest did indeed worsen during the crisis, IRHI were prevented from increasing by the relative stickiness of old age pension benefits compared to the market incomes of younger groups. Austerity measures weakened the IRHI reducing effect of government transfers.

Suggested Citation

  • Coveney, Max & García-Gómez, Pilar & van Doorslaer, Eddy & Van Ourti, Tom, 2020. "Thank goodness for stickiness: Unravelling the evolution of income-related health inequalities before and after the Great Recession in Europe," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:70:y:2020:i:c:s0167629618304776
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2019.102259
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    2. Massimiliano Agovino & Massimiliano Cerciello & Aniello Ferraro & Antonio Garofalo, 2022. "A Regional Perspective on Social Exclusion in European Regions: Context, Trends and Policy Implications," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 8(2), pages 409-433, July.
    3. James Banks & Heidi Karjalainen & Carol Propper, 2020. "Recessions and Health: The Long‐Term Health Consequences of Responses to the Coronavirus," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 41(2), pages 337-344, June.
    4. Kjell Arne Brekke & Snorre Kverndokk, 2024. "Health, Income, and Measures of Inequality – Why Inequality May Decline When All Inequality Measures Indicate the Opposite," CESifo Working Paper Series 11318, CESifo.
    5. Hashmi, Rubayyat & Alam, Khorshed & Gow, Jeff, 2024. "Socioeconomic mental health disparities and income mobility in Australia: A longitudinal factor decomposition analysis," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 290-302.

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