Explaining the differences in income‐related health inequalities across European countries

• DOI: 10.1002/hec.918
• Publication Date: 2004-06-25T17:00:40Z
• Authors: Eddy van Doorslaer; Xander Koolman
• Keywords: National Health Programs; 1. No poverty; SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities; Health Services Accessibility; 3. Good health; Europe; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Social Class; Social Justice; 8. Economic growth; Income; EMC NIHES-05-63-03 Competition; Humans; Health Services Research; 10. No inequality; 0305 other medical science

Abstract This paper provides new evidence on the sources of differences in degree income‐related inequalities self‐assessed health 13 European Union member states. It goes beyond earlier work by measuring using an interval regression approach to compute concentration indices and decomposing inequality into its determining factors. New more comparable data were used, taken from 1996 wave Community Household Panel . Significant (utility) favouring higher income groups emerge all countries, but are particularly high Portugal — a lesser extent UK Denmark. By contrast, relatively low is observed Netherlands Germany, also Italy, Belgium, Spain Austria Ireland. There positive correlation with per se relationship weaker than previous research. Health not merely reflection inequality. A decomposition analysis shows that (partial) elasticities explanatory variables generally important their unequal distribution explaining cross‐country Especially relative position non‐working Europeans like retired disabled explains great deal ‘excess inequality’. We find substantial contribution regional disparities socio‐economic inequalities, primarily Southern countries. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.