Universität zu Köln

Siegel, Martin (2012). Measuring variations in health inequalities: Semiparametric modeling of the concentration index. PhD thesis, Universität zu Köln.

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Abstract

This thesis introduces a new econometric approach to measure variations in health inequalities with respect to some other continuous or discrete explanatory variable. The proposed model combines the well-established concentration index with the smooth coefficient model to a semiparametric inequality index. Data on income, self-assessed health, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and smoking behavior are analyzed. Community deprivation is assessed using a German Index of Multiple Deprivation. The results suggest that income-related inequalities to the detriment of the economically deprived households exist in Germany. While this holds for health status in almost all age groups, smoking only concentrates among the worse-off households in younger cohorts. Smoking apparantly changed from a pro-rich towards a pro-poor habit over the twentieth century. While individual income and community deprivation are similarly associated to individual health, income-related health inequalities do not vary with community deprivation.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD thesis)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Siegel, Martin martin_siegel@arcor.de UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-48290
Date:	2012
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Management, Economy and Social Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences > Economics > Econometrics and Statistics > Professorship for Economic and Social Statistics
Subjects:	Social sciences General statistics Economics Medical sciences Medicine
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language semiparametric estimation, concentration index, health inequalities, regional deprivation, income inequalities, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, smoking behavior English
Date of oral exam:	16 July 2012
Referee:	Name Academic Title Mosler, Karl Prof. Dr. Lüngen, Markus Prof. Dr.
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/4829