The national financial adjustment policy and the equalisation of health levels among prefectures

Abstract

Study objectives-The objectives of this study were to examine (1) trends concerning financial assistance from the national government to local governments, (2) trends regarding death rates and life expectancies among prefectures, and (3) the eVect of the national financial adjustment policy in equalising both the revenues of local governments and variations in the health levels among prefectures in terms of death rates and life expectancies. Design-The study analysed prefectural income, the amount of national taxes collected, financial assistance from the national government to local governments, and age adjusted death rates and life expectancies of all of the prefectures in Japan during the period from 1965 through 1995. The national system for adjusting finances among the local prefectural governments has been regarded as functioning well in Japan.

Accumulation of health risk behaviours is associated with lower socioeconomic status and women's urban residence: a multilevel analysis in Japan

“…The data indicated that the degree of income inequality in Japan is smaller than in other industrial countries [49,50], and the regional inequality in per capita income has decreased over the past several decades [51]. As a previous study demonstrated that national financial adjustment policy contributed to a reduction of regional disparity in health levels [52], a national minimum across the country was achieved by egalitarian social policies in Japan.…”

Socioeconomic status and self-rated health of Japanese people, based on age, cohort, and period

“…However, it is uncertain whether SES-related differences in the health of Japanese people have increased, remained stable, or decreased over different periods. Certain studies conducted before 2000 in Japan have shown a decrease in SES-related health differences over time [ 7 , 12 , 13 ], whereas studies conducted after 2000 have indicated different SES-related health trends [ 14 – 18 ]. There are relatively few studies on cohort differences in SES-related health gaps in Japan, although differences by cohorts on SES-related health gaps have been reported in the US and China [ 19 – 22 ].…”

The impact of uncertainty in society on the use of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine: a comparative study on visits to alternative/traditional/folk health care practitioners

“…Moreover, we suggested the effects of economic measures when arguing from an employment perspective. Previous research has shown that economic measures at the national level have an effect on population health [57]. However, another study has shown that economic incentives are not always related to people’s motivation to improve their own health [58].…”