Background: The objective of this study is to examine income-related inequality in self-rated health and functional ability among older people in China, and to further examine the contribution of socioeconomic factors to health inequality.
Methods: Data was drawn from the 2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Concentration curves, concentration index, and decomposition analysis, well-established tools in developed countries, were employed to demonstrate income-related inequality in health among the sample.
Results: The better-off are more likely to have better self-rated health, and are less likely to have functional limitations, compared to the worse-off. In addition, this inequality in health outcomes is mainly driven by socioeconomic factors, such as income and education, rather than demographic factors.
Conclusion: There is a pressing need for the government to protect older people in lower socioeconomic status to reduce income-related inequality in health, such as cash transfers, and provide formal long-term care directly.