PreprintArticleVersion 1Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
Exploring the Effects of Environmental Knowledge and Health Insurance Coverage on Physical and Mental Health: Evidence from a Nationally Representative Sample of Rural Women in China
Liu, Y.; Ruiz-Menjivar, J.; Lepheana, M.; Carr, B.R. Examining the Effects of Environmental Knowledge and Health Insurance Coverage on Health Status. Environments2023, 10, 62.
Liu, Y.; Ruiz-Menjivar, J.; Lepheana, M.; Carr, B.R. Examining the Effects of Environmental Knowledge and Health Insurance Coverage on Health Status. Environments 2023, 10, 62.
Liu, Y.; Ruiz-Menjivar, J.; Lepheana, M.; Carr, B.R. Examining the Effects of Environmental Knowledge and Health Insurance Coverage on Health Status. Environments2023, 10, 62.
Liu, Y.; Ruiz-Menjivar, J.; Lepheana, M.; Carr, B.R. Examining the Effects of Environmental Knowledge and Health Insurance Coverage on Health Status. Environments 2023, 10, 62.
Abstract
Rural women in developing nations are especially vulnerable to higher health risks due to environmental pollution exposure and are more likely to experience poorer health outcomes. Using data from the 2013 China General Social Survey CGSS2013, this study empirically examined the relationship among environmental knowledge (EK), pollution, health investment, and health status of women residing in rural regions in China. We employed a nationally representative sample of 1,930 female individuals for our analysis. Our results showed that the level of EK for women in rural China significantly impacted their self-reported physical and mental health. In order to account for potential endogeneity due to mutual causality, this study employed television usage and network usage as two instrument variables (IVs) of EK. We performed an IV-probit method to correct the estimated errors due to endogeneity. Additionally, to assess the reliability and robustness of our results, we re-estimated our model by replacing health status with the variable Body Mass Index (BMI). The results were consistent, providing evidence of robustness. Additionally, we examined the relationship between health investment (holding and purchasing a public health insurance policy, engaging in frequent physical activity, and acquiring commercial insurance) and health status. Our results indicate that the level of EK had no significant impact on participating in the new rural cooperative medical system. However, the preference of purchasing commercial insurance was positively impacted by EK, though it does not have a direct impact on the health condition. Conversely, an increase in EK and pollution is associated with a greater likelihood of engaging in physical exercise, which could, in turn, improve overall mental health.
Keywords
environmental knowledge; pollution; rural women; health; China
Subject
Social Sciences, Sociology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
