Empirical Analysis on Self-Pay Ratio and Healthcare Inequality

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K01666
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07050:Public economics and labor economics-related
• Research Institution: Wakayama University (2022); Nagoya University of Commerce & Business (2018-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Tamura Masaoki 和歌山大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (00711590)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 迫田 さやか 同志社大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (30780754) ; 和久津 尚彦 名古屋市立大学, 大学院経済学研究科, 准教授 (80638130)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 経済格差 / パネルデータ分析 / 医療経済学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on Japan Household Panel Survey (JHPS), we measure to what extent healthcare inequality is affected by self-pay ratio and business cycles in Japan. Sakoda, Tamura, and Wakutsu(2022) measures healthcare inequality of Japan in 2008-2018. It shows that in the financial crisis, not only low-income class but also middle income class reduced the healthcare expenditures below their needs, and healthcare inequality was widened.

Free Research Field

経済学、医療経済学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究課題で、医療格差とその推移についてパネルデータを用いて測定を行ったが、国民皆保険の下でも医療費支出は不況の影響を強く受けること、また世代ごとにその影響は異なることが分かった。これらの結果は医療政策を実施する上で考慮に入れるべきエビデンスの一つとして社会的・学術的意義がある。