Measuring Multidimensional Health Poverty in China

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Economics
• Social Determinants of Health

Background:

• Health poverty is a critical issue, encompassing both monetary and multidimensional health deprivations.
• Existing measurement methods may not fully capture the complexity of health poverty.
• China faces unique challenges in addressing health poverty due to its vast population and regional disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define and operationalize the concept of multidimensional health poverty.
• To develop and apply the Multidimensional Health Poverty Index (MHPI) for measuring health poverty in China.
• To identify the key contributing dimensions and disparities in health poverty within China.

Main Methods:

• Revised the Alkire-Foster (A-F) Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) methodology.
• Incorporated Catastrophic Health Expenditure (CHE) as a sufficient condition and income poverty as a necessary condition.
• Included indicators for physical, mental, and social health dimensions.

Main Results:

• Physical health, monetary dimensions (CHE and income poverty), and mental health were identified as the primary drivers of health poverty in China.
• The MHPI was significantly higher in rural areas compared to urban areas.
• Rural-urban disparities are linked to higher out-of-pocket medical payments and greater multidimensional health deprivation in rural regions.

Conclusions:

• The developed MHPI offers a more accurate, stable, and comprehensive measure of health poverty than traditional methods.
• Addressing physical, mental, and monetary dimensions, particularly in rural areas, is crucial for reducing health poverty in China.
• Policy interventions should focus on mitigating catastrophic health expenditures and improving multidimensional health outcomes across diverse populations.