Effect of Income Inequality on Health in Quebec: New Insights from Panel Data

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between income inequality and all-cause mortality in 87 regional county municipalities (RCMs) of Quebec (Canada) while accounting for time lags and effects of other socioeconomic variables. We presumed to be true that income inequality entails stress and depression. Thus, these phenomena were tested as mediating factors. The data used consist of eight (8) area-based chronological variables: mortality rate, Gini index, disposable income, criminality rate, number of physicians, density of population, and the proportion of people reporting feeling stressed or depressed. The association between income inequality and mortality was analyzed using the generalized method of moments (GMM) approach with local fixed effects to control unobservable characteristics. Our results show that higher income inequality led to a significant increase of mortality rate with a time lag of 5 years when socioeconomic characteristics were held constant. As expected, households’ disposable income and mortality rate were negatively associated. Moreover, mortality rate was positively associated with population density and negatively associated with the number of physicians. Finally, only depression showed the potential to act as a mediating factor. Based on our findings, we suggest that, over time, income inequality, by amplifying depression phenomena, increases the mortality rate in Quebec’s RCMs.

Study on the Impact of Income Gap on Health Level of Rural Residents in China

“…From the conclusion of the study, the income gap significantly inhibits the health level of rural residents. This conclusion is consistent with the research conclusions of Tibber et al, Hurleya et al, and Bocoum et al [46][47][48]. In addition, this paper focuses on identifying the effect of the income gap more accurately, and further provides a regression analysis by using the different explained variables, explanatory variables, and alternative measurement methods in the robustness test.…”

The association between income inequality and adult mental health at the subnational level—a systematic review

“…Of 15 studies that were only partially supportive of the IIH, reasons for this included associations only being seen: in low-income participants or deprived wards [ 67 , 68 , 86 ], with respect to certain symptoms or presentations [ 70 , 71 , 75 , 81 , 85 ], prior to adjustment for covariates [ 84 , 88 , 89 ], in women [ 78 ], at the provincial but not county level [ 87 ], at a given time-lag [ 79 ]. Finally, one study found that inequality predicted variance in depression symptoms between but not within twin pairs [ 82 ].…”

“…In contrast, 33.33% (n = 14) of the studies were unsupportive of either hypothesis [95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106][107][108], three of which (21.43%) showed mixed findings [98,104,107] and the remaining 11 (78.57%) reporting only null findings. Of 15 studies that were only partially supportive of the IIH, reasons for this included associations only being seen: in low-income participants or deprived wards [67,68,86], with respect to certain symptoms or presentations [70,71,75,81,85], prior to adjustment for covariates [84,88,89], in women [78], at the provincial but not county level [87], at a given time-lag [79]. Finally, one study found that inequality predicted variance in depression symptoms between but not within twin pairs [82].…”

The Effect of Business Cycles on Health Expenditure: A Story of Income Inequality in China

“…However, we find nearly no related studies that explore the above relationship from the role of income inequality. Income inequality can affect population health in the following ways: consumption capacity (38)(39)(40), psychological state (41)(42)(43), and social relations (44)(45)(46). Hence, income inequality may influence the effect of business cycles on health expenditure.…”

“…Many related studies have verified that income inequality can adversely affect population health (38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46). Economic booms can benefit population health by guaranteeing the residents more material goods and medical goods.…”