Essays on development and social change in China

• Main Author: He, Huajing
• Published: University of Essex 2014
• Subjects: 303.40951
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.617037

This thesis consists of three development and social change topics in China. Chapter 2 studies the relationship between child labour and a child's academic achievement in rural China. Chapter 3 estimates the impact of health insurance reform on health outcomes in the urban areas of China while Chapter 4 studies whether the impact of China's One Child Policy affects the financial support adult children give their parents. Chapter 2 suggests that more than one hour of child labour in the "previous time period has a negative effect on a child 's academic achievement in the subsequent period. It also shows that previous academic achievement has no strongly significant effect on current child labour by applying a logistic model. Chapter 3 finds that the target health insurance reform increases the health insurance coverage rate significantly among the urban workers who work in Non-State Owned Enterprises. Using an instrumental variable approach, health insurance leads to more preventive health care but does not significantly affect self-reported health outcomes, health care utilisation or medical expenditure. Chapter 4 shows that the One Child Policy has changed household structure by reducing the number of children born to each household head, especially in Urban China. The results suggest that single children are less likely to support their parents. This thesis provides some new empirical results for understanding development and social change in China.