SOCIAL HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE AND HEALTH INEQUALITY IN NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE MANAGEMENT IN CHINA

Abstract

Social health insurance (SHI) is the core area of reform in the rural-urban dual-healthcare system in China, in response to the demographic and epidemiological transition. However, SHI coverage and its role in non-communicable disease (NCD) management remain unclear. Based on two nationally representative datasets of the middle-aged and older Chinese adults, I compared rural-urban differences in the key health indicators of the healthcare system; examined socioeconomic determinants of SHI coverage; evaluated the association between SHI coverage and NCD management, and compared findings with the synthesized evidence from existing literature. Results from the thesis highlight the need for further refining effectiveness of SHI coverage to reduce financial burden and health inequality as well as meet the increasing needs of NCD management.