Does informal care reduce health care utilisation in older age? Evidence from China.
Details
Serval ID
serval:BIB_DE6019E98C12
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Does informal care reduce health care utilisation in older age? Evidence from China.
Journal
Social science & medicine
ISSN
1873-5347 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0277-9536
Publication state
Published
Issued date
08/2022
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
306
Pages
115123
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
Studies in Western countries suggest that receiving informal care from family members may reduce utilisation of health care services. This hypothesis has not been examined in China, where the population is ageing rapidly. We assess the impact of informal care from offspring (children and grandchildren) on health care utilisation and expenditures among older people in China. Data are drawn from the 2011, 2014, and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Using lagged model with the instrumental variable approach, we find that the impact of informal care is different by type of health care: More hours of informal care from offspring reduces overall health care utilisation, and in particular, outpatient care utilisation, but it increases inpatient care utilisation and expenditures. Our results suggest that informal care reduces the demand for outpatient care but increases the demand for inpatient care, possible reflecting the fact that the latter involves more advanced procedures for which informal care is not a substitute but a complement. Results highlight the need for incorporating health care impacts in the analysis and evaluation of policies that affect informal care provision.
Keywords
Aged, Ambulatory Care, Child, China, Family, Health Expenditures, Humans, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Health care utilisation, Informal care receipt, Instrumental variable approach, Older people
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Funding(s)
No funding
Create date
05/07/2022 11:01
Last modification date
03/10/2023 7:16