Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name:  Sholeh A. Maani
Author-X-Name-First: Sholeh A. 
Author-X-Name-Last: Maani 
Author-Email:  s.maani@auckland.ac.nz
Author-Workplace-Name: The University of Auckland 
Author-Name:  Rhema Vaithianathan 
Author-X-Name-First: Rhema 
Author-X-Name-Last: Vaithianathan 
Author-Email: r.vaithianathan@auckland.ac.nz 
Author-Workplace-Name: The University of Auckland
Author-Name:  Barbara Wolfe
Author-X-Name-First: Barbara
Author-X-Name-Last: Wolfe
Author-Workplace-Name: The University of Wisconsin
Author-Email: wolfe@lafollette.wisc.edu
Title:  Inequality and Health: Is Housing Crowding the Link?
Abstract:  In this study we extend the literature (e.g. Deaton, 2002a; Kennedy and Kawachi,
1996; Wilkinson, 1996) by proposing a new mechanism through which income inequality can
influence health. We argue that increased income inequality induces household crowding,
which in turn leads to increased rates of infectious diseases. We use data from New Zealand
that links hospital discharge rates with community-level characteristics to explore this
hypothesis. Our results provide support for a differential effect of income inequality and
housing crowding on rates of hospital admissions for infectious diseases among children.
Importantly, we find that genetic and non-communicable diseases do not show these joint
crowding and inequality effects. The effect of housing on communicable diseases provides a
biological foundation for an income inequality gradient. 
Length:  33 pages
Creation-Date:  2006-12
File-URL: https://motu-www.motu.org.nz/wpapers/06_09.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
Number: 06_09
Keywords: Housing crowding, child health outcomes, income inequality 
Handle: RePEc:mtu:wpaper:06_09