健康的同群效应及其机制研究

Study on the Peer Effect of Health and Its Mechanism

本文使用2015年中国综合调查数据对健康的同群效应以及影响机制进行了检验。分析结果显示:(1)社区平均健康水平对个体的健康水平有显著的正向影响,社区平均健康水平每上升1个单位,个体的健康水平将会提高48.1个百分点;(2)健康的同群效应存在明显的不对称性。相比于男性和老年群体,女性和年轻人对社区平均健康水平的反应更加敏感;(3)进一步研究发现,社区平均健康水平的改善不仅能在潜移默化中降低个体的风险行为,同时能够促进个体积极主动的寻求健康行为,进而提高个体的健康水平。上述结论的政策启示在于:旨在合理规范和有效促进国民健康水平的有关政策应该充分考虑到同群效应的重要影响及其性别、年龄差异,以充分利用健康的同群效应,最大化国民健康收益。

Based on the data of 2015 CGSS, we estimate the peer effect of health and its mechanism and the findings are as follows:1. The average health level in the community has a significant positive effect on individuals’ health, i.e. the individual’s health level can increase by 48.1 percentage if the average health level of the community increases by 1 unit. 2. The peer effect of health has significant asymmetry, for the average health of women and the young are more sensitive to the average health of the community. 3. The average health level in the community can improve the individuals’ health by both reducing the risk behaviors of the individual and inspiring the individuals to actively seek health behaviors. The findings imply that the relevant policies aiming at promoting national health level should take full account of the peer effect and its gender and age differences.