产假政策对中国城镇母亲健康的长期影响

The Long-term Effect of Maternity Leave Policy on Mother’s Health Outcomes in Urban China

本文使用2011-2015年中国健康与养老追踪调查(CHARLS)及2014生命历程数据,分别利用多层线性模型和多层逻辑模型论证产假时长对中国城镇母亲健康自评、患慢性病和心理健康的长期影响。研究证明没有产假或者产假太短、太长都不利于母亲身心健康。具体而言,不管是生育第一孩还是第二孩,与没有休产假的母亲相比较,休产假99-128天、159-179天的母亲健康自评更好,但是当第二孩产假超过半年后,母亲健康自评反而变差了;不管是生育第一孩还是第二孩,休产假对母亲患慢性病有抑制作用,产假延长至半年时,抑制作用达最高值,但是当第二孩产假超过半年时,母亲患慢性病可能性变大;对于生育第一孩的母亲而言,休产假对母亲心理健康起保护作用,产假越长,保护作用越大,产假长达半年时影响效果最显著。因此,产假时长为六个月是最有利于母亲身心健康的选择。同时,文章还探讨了生育事件的三个维度(初育年龄、是否有男孩、是否流过产)对母亲健康产生的影响。建议加强生育保险政策中关于产假时长和生育津贴补给率的科学论证并在生育保险范畴中纳入非正规就业女性;加强二孩生育配套服务,重视生殖健康服务和心理健康问题的防治;建立现代生育文化,推进性别平等建设。

Using 2011-2015 harmonized China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS)and 2014 CHARLS Life History Survey,this paper studies the impact of maternity leave on self-rated health,chronic diseases and mental health among mother aged between 37 and 65 in urban China.Results show that no maternity leave,or maternity leave is either too short(less than 98 days)or too long(more than 180 days)are not good for mother’s health.The length of maternity leave for six months is the most beneficial choice for mother’s physical and mental health regardless of it is for the first child or the second child.In addition,this article also explores three dimensions of the birth event,namely as the age of mother when she gave birth to her first child,whether there is a son,and whether mother has abortion,has an impact on the health of mother.The authors propose to strengthen the maternity leave policy on increasing the rate of maternity allowance,extending the coverage of the maternity insurance policy for informal employees,im⁃proving the maternity support services for two children,paying attention to reproductive health services and mental health prevention.These could establish a modern reproductive culture and promote gender equality.