空气污染对中老年人医疗支出的影响——来自CHARLS数据的证据

The Effect of Air Pollution on Personal Health Care Expenditure of Elderly People: Evidence from CHARLS Data

采用CHARLS面板数据,在理论模型的基础上,考察了空气污染对中老年人医疗支出的影响程度。研究发现:通过增加个人的就医概率及就医次数,空气污染显著增加了中老年人的医疗支出。空气质量综合指数每上升一个单位,将使个人医疗支出至少增加4%。空气污染对个人医疗支出的影响显示出一定的异质性,50—65岁群体、东部地区居民的个人医疗支出受空气污染影响更显著。相比PM2.5及PM10,O3污染对个人医疗支出的影响更大,O3污染浓度每提高10%将使个人医疗支出增加14.6%。政策层面,应提高对慢性病患者的关怀、补贴,完善医疗保障体系,同时加大O3污染防范力度。

Using the panel data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS),this paper investigates the effect of air pollution on individual medical expenditure of middle aged and elderly people based on theoretical model.It is found that air pollution significantly increases the individual medical expenditure of middle-aged and elderly people by increasing the probability and frequency of doctor visit.Every unit of increase in the comprehensive air quality index will increase personal medical expenditure by at least 4%.The impact of air pollution on personal medical expenditure shows a certain heterogeneity.The impact of air pollution on personal medical expenditure of 50-65 years old group and residents in eastern region is more significant.Compared with PM2.5 and PM10,the impact of ozone pollution on personal medical expenditure is greater.Every 10%increase in ozone concentration will increase personal medical expenditure by 14.6%.Government should take more relevant measures supporting the people with chronic diseases and preventing ozone pollution.