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Commuting time and sickness absence in China: Rural/urban variations and Hukou impacts

Author

Listed:
  • Murong Guo
  • Kuang Tang

    (Renmin University, China)

  • Zicheng Wang

    (Jinan University, China)

Abstract

This article addresses three main issues: the relationship between commute time and sickness absence, the heterogeneity of the commuting–absenteeism effect between rural migrants and urban citizens, and the effect of China’s Hukou system on the commuting–absenteeism effect. It applies a unique set of employer–employee matched data in China and a zero-inflated negative binomial model. We find clear evidence that a longer commuting time contributes to an increase in sickness absence. The heterogeneity of the commuting–absenteeism effect can also be confirmed: longer commuting leads to higher absence rates for urban citizens but not for rural migrants. Furthermore, we explore the effect of commuting on a set of health-related outcomes. The estimations demonstrate that commuting time has a significant impact on health-related outcomes for both migrants and urban citizens, but unequal access to housing provision and to social health insurance in the Hukou system may mean that rural migrants resort to more informal medical services and thus lack access to the official sickness certificate required to seek legal sickness absence. We recommend accelerated reform of the Hukou system to encourage rural workers to seek appropriate and timely medical services, thereby reducing public health risks. JEL Codes: I12, I14, J83, N35, N75

Suggested Citation

  • Murong Guo & Kuang Tang & Zicheng Wang, 2020. "Commuting time and sickness absence in China: Rural/urban variations and Hukou impacts," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 31(1), pages 76-95, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecolab:v:31:y:2020:i:1:p:76-95
    DOI: 10.1177/1035304619899770
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Commuting; Hukou; public health; rural disadvantage; sickness absence; zero-inflated negative binomial model;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • J83 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Workers' Rights
    • N35 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Asia including Middle East
    • N75 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - Asia including Middle East

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