Child Poverty: A Socio-Economic Analysis of Health Gap and Poverty Cycle

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K01588
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07040:Economic policy-related
• Research Institution: Meiji Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: Omura Makiko 明治学院大学, 経済学部, 教授 (80397835)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 子どもの健康 / 貧困 / 社会経済格差 / 健康格差

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using Japanese data, a prefectural-level analysis of public child medical subsidies and children's health found no clear association between the subsidies and child health which was proxied by the frequency of medical use. With French birth cohort micro data, the association of child family income and worse physical and mental health was revealed. Specifically, while a targeting strategy regarding general health care was by no means suggested, a policy targeting those children with early asthma from low-income families might be effective in reducing the likelihood of developing mental health problem at a later age.

Free Research Field

経済学・公衆衛生学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、子どもの貧困と健康格差の関連性を検証するとともに、所得制限ターゲティングの是非を検討した。一般的な社会保険医療施策に関する所得ターゲティングの是非ではなく、実際に疾患を有する低所得世帯の子どもの世帯に対し、所得を改善するような施策は、子どもの将来の精神的疾患可能性を低減する上でも、社会経済便益の面からも望ましいとの知見が得られた。