THREE PAPERS ON HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN CHINA AFTER THE ECONOMIC REFORMS

The relationship between income inequality and health has been widely explored. Today there is some evidence suggesting that health status is inversely related with income inequality. This study focuses on China in the 1990s and explores the possible effects of provincial income inequality on individual health status. We use nonparametric techniques and a multi-level regression model to analyze data from nine provinces included in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) collected in 1991, 1993, 1997 and 2000. The analyses show an independent effect of income inequality on self-reported health after adjusting for individual and household variables. We conclude that in China, societal income inequality appears to be an important determinant of population health during 1991-2000. 1.