IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/nfi/nfiwps/2007-wp-12.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

No Pain, No Strain: Impact of Health on the Financial Security of Older Americans

Author

Listed:
  • Angela Lyons
  • Hyungsoo Kim

Abstract

This study uses data from the 2002 and 2004 Health and Retirement Study to investigate the impact that health problems have on the financial strain of older Americans. Two-stage probit models are estimated for a series of financial ratio guidelines that take into account household solvency, liquidity, and investment asset accumulation. We test our models using a subjective measure of self-reported health status and two objective measures of health that control for the severity of specific health conditions. The results show that health problems significantly increase the likelihood of financial strain for older individuals, and the magnitudes of the effects vary by the type of financial strain and how health status is defined. Those most likely to experience some type of financial strain are those with severe chronic conditions. The results provide insight into the future financial security of older Americans and have important implications for health policy and research.

Suggested Citation

  • Angela Lyons & Hyungsoo Kim, 2007. "No Pain, No Strain: Impact of Health on the Financial Security of Older Americans," NFI Working Papers 2007-WP-12, Indiana State University, Scott College of Business, Networks Financial Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:nfi:nfiwps:2007-wp-12
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.indstate.edu/business/sites/business.indstate.edu/files/Docs/2007-WP-12_Lyons-Kim.pdf
    File Function: Full text
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zeldes, Stephen P, 1989. "Consumption and Liquidity Constraints: An Empirical Investigation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 97(2), pages 305-346, April.
    2. James Smith, 2005. "Consequences and Predictors of New Health Events," NBER Chapters, in: Analyses in the Economics of Aging, pages 213-240, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. repec:max:cprpbr:008 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Michael Baker & Mark Stabile & Catherine Deri, 2004. "What Do Self-Reported, Objective, Measures of Health Measure?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 39(4).
    5. M. Hurd & A. Kapteyn, 2005. "Health, Wealth, and the Role of Institutions," Springer Books, in: Peter Gijsel & Hans Schenk (ed.), Multidisciplinary Economics, pages 307-332, Springer.
    6. Michaud, Pierre-Carl & van Soest, Arthur, 2008. "Health and wealth of elderly couples: Causality tests using dynamic panel data models," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 1312-1325, September.
    7. Jinkook Lee & Hyungsoo Kim, 2003. "An Examination of the Impact of Health on Wealth Depletion in Elderly Individuals," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 58(2), pages 120-126.
    8. Stephen Wu, 2003. "The Effects of Health Events on the Economic Status of Married Couples," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 38(1).
    9. Nandinee Kutty, 1999. "Demand for home modifications: a household production function approach," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(10), pages 1273-1281.
    10. Rosen, H.S.Harvey S. & Wu, Stephen, 2004. "Portfolio choice and health status," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(3), pages 457-484, June.
    11. Hurd, Michael D. & McGarry, Kathleen, 1997. "Medical insurance and the use of health care services by the elderly," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 129-154, April.
    12. Peter Adams & Michael D. Hurd & Daniel L. McFadden & Angela Merrill & Tiago Ribeiro, 2004. "Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise? Tests for Direct Causal Paths between Health and Socioeconomic Status," NBER Chapters, in: Perspectives on the Economics of Aging, pages 415-526, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Meer, Jonathan & Miller, Douglas L. & Rosen, Harvey S., 2003. "Exploring the health-wealth nexus," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(5), pages 713-730, September.
    14. James P. Smith, 1999. "Healthy Bodies and Thick Wallets: The Dual Relation between Health and Economic Status," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 13(2), pages 145-166, Spring.
    15. Hurd, Michael D, 1990. "Research on the Elderly: Economic Status, Retirement, and Consumption and Saving," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 28(2), pages 565-637, June.
    16. Angela C. Lyons & Tansel Yilmazer, 2005. "Health and Financial Strain: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 71(4), pages 873-890, April.
    17. Robert B. Wallace & A. Regula Herzog, 1995. "Overview of the Health Measures in the Health and Retirement Study," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 30, pages 84-107.
    18. Berkowitz, Michael K. & Qiu, Jiaping, 2006. "A further look at household portfolio choice and health status," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 1201-1217, April.
    19. Robert B. Barsky & F. Thomas Juster & Miles S. Kimball & Matthew D. Shapiro, 1997. "Preference Parameters and Behavioral Heterogeneity: An Experimental Approach in the Health and Retirement Study," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(2), pages 537-579.
    20. Lillard, Lee A & Weiss, Yoram, 1997. "Uncertain Health and Survival: Effects on End-of-Life Consumption," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 15(2), pages 254-268, April.
    21. DeVaney, Sharon A. & Lytton, Ruth H., 1995. "Household insolvency: A review of household debt repayment, delinquency, and bankruptcy," Financial Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 4(2), pages 137-156.
    22. Drentea, Patricia & Lavrakas, Paul J., 2000. "Over the limit: the association among health, race and debt," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 517-529, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jonathan Gruber & Helen Levy, 2009. "The Evolution of Medical Spending Risk," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 23(4), pages 25-48, Fall.
    2. Gianluigi Guido & Cesare Amatulli & Andrea Sestino, 2020. "Elderly consumers and financial choices: A systematic review," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(3), pages 76-85, December.
    3. Andrzej Woloszyn & Joanna Stanislawska & Romana Głowicka-Woloszyn & Agnieszka Kozera & Anna Rosa, 2021. "Multidimensional Assessment of Polish Farm Household Financial Security by TOPSIS and Generalised Distance Measure," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 534-553.
    4. Irina Grafova, 2011. "Financial Strain and Smoking," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 327-340, June.
    5. Yunhee Chang & Jinhee Kim & Swarn Chatterjee, 2018. "Health Care Expenditures, Financial Stability, and Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)," Papers 1811.05421, arXiv.org.
    6. Heo, Wookjae & Lee, Jae Min & Park, Narang & Grable, John E., 2020. "Using Artificial Neural Network techniques to improve the description and prediction of household financial ratios," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(C).
    7. Radion Svynarenko & Qun Zhang & Hyungsoo Kim, 2019. "The Financial Burden of Cancer: Financial Ratio Analysis," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 165-179, June.
    8. Sharifah Haron & Deanna Sharpe & Jariah Masud & Mohamed Abdel-Ghany, 2010. "Health Divide: Economic and Demographic Factors Associated with Self-Reported Health Among Older Malaysians," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 328-337, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Oscar Erixson, 2017. "Health responses to a wealth shock: evidence from a Swedish tax reform," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 30(4), pages 1281-1336, October.
    2. Angela C. Lyons & Tansel Yilmazer, 2005. "Health and Financial Strain: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 71(4), pages 873-890, April.
    3. Jonathan Gruber & Helen Levy, 2009. "The Evolution of Medical Spending Risk," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 23(4), pages 25-48, Fall.
    4. Patryk Babiarz & Tansel Yilmazer, 2017. "The impact of adverse health events on consumption: Understanding the mediating effect of income transfers, wealth, and health insurance," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(12), pages 1743-1758, December.
    5. Frijters, Paul & Ulker, Aydogan, 2008. "Robustness in health research: Do differences in health measures, techniques, and time frame matter?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(6), pages 1626-1644, December.
    6. Irina Grafova, 2007. "Your Money or Your Life: Managing Health, Managing Money," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 285-303, June.
    7. Julien Hugonnier & Florian Pelgrin & Pascal St‐Amour, 2020. "Closing down the shop: Optimal health and wealth dynamics near the end of life," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(2), pages 138-153, February.
    8. Julien Hugonnier & Florian Pelgrin, 2013. "Health and (Other) Asset Holdings," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 80(2), pages 663-710.
    9. Michaud, Pierre-Carl & van Soest, Arthur, 2008. "Health and wealth of elderly couples: Causality tests using dynamic panel data models," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 1312-1325, September.
    10. Owen O'Donnell & Eddy Van Doorslaer & Tom Van Ourti, 2013. "Health and Inequality," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 13-170/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    11. Patryk Babiarz & Richard Widdows & Tansel Yilmazer, 2013. "Borrowing To Cope With Adverse Health Events: Liquidity Constraints, Insurance Coverage, And Unsecured Debt," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(10), pages 1177-1198, October.
    12. Fan, Elliott & Zhao, Ruoyun, 2009. "Health status and portfolio choice: Causality or heterogeneity?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 1079-1088, June.
    13. Sana Tabassum & Ashok Thomas, 2020. "A Longitudinal Analysis of the impact of Health Shocks on the wealth: Evidence from England," Working papers 371, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode.
    14. Stefani Milovanska-Farrington & Stephen Farrington, 2021. "Discipline, risk, and the endogeneity between financial decisionmaking and health," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 45(4), pages 596-636, October.
    15. James M. Poterba & Steven F. Venti & David A. Wise, 2014. "The Nexus of Social Security Benefits, Health, and Wealth at Death," NBER Chapters, in: Discoveries in the Economics of Aging, pages 159-182, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Jonathan S. Hartley & Maude Toussaint-Comeau, 2009. "Health and the savings of insured versus uninsured, working-age households in the U.S," Working Paper Series WP-09-23, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
    17. Majo, M.C., 2010. "A microeconometric analysis of health care utilization in Europe," Other publications TiSEM 1cf5fd2f-8146-4ef8-8eb5-e, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    18. Lefebvre, Pierre, 2006. "Le gradient santé / revenu familial des nouveau-nés québécois de 1998 après quatre ans : faible ou inexistant?," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 82(4), pages 523-595, décembre.
    19. repec:ran:wpaper:191 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Yilmazer, Tansel & Babiarz, Patryk & Liu, Fen, 2015. "The impact of diminished housing wealth on health in the United States: Evidence from the Great Recession," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 234-241.
    21. James M. Poterba & Steven F. Venti & David A. Wise, 2011. "Were They Prepared for Retirement? Financial Status at Advanced Ages in the HRS and AHEAD Cohorts," NBER Chapters, in: Investigations in the Economics of Aging, pages 21-69, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nfi:nfiwps:2007-wp-12. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Ray Thomas (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/nfinsus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.