Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Social protection schemes have been expanding around the world with the objective of protecting older persons during retirement. While theoretically they have been seen as tools to improve individual wellbeing, there are few studies that evaluate whether social pensions can improve health. In this study, we exploit the change in eligibility criteria for the South African Old Age grant to estimate the association between pension exposure eligibility and health of older persons. For this, we use data from the Health and Aging in Africa: A longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa (HAALSI) and model pension exposure in terms of its cumulative effect. Our results show that pension exposure is associated with better health as measured by a set of health indices. Disentangling these effects, we find that pension exposure is most likely to improve health through the delayed onset of physical disabilities in the elderly population. Our study highlights the relevance of social protection schemes as a mechanism to protect older persons physical health.
Language: English
Subfield: Demography
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,010
Awards: Strengthening and stabilising a demographic and health surveillance in Agincourt: foundation for a health and population research programme in South Africa's rural northeast, Health, population and social transitions in rural Southern Africa: Elucidating pathways and testing interventions., Preventing cardiometabolic diseases in Africa: life-course and multi-sector approaches., G434337789, G4469057728, Disability benefits, labour force participation, and health: Evaluating the effect of social protection policies, Investigating and responding to health, population and social transitions in rural Southern Africa., Health, population and social transitions in rural Southern Africa: Elucidating pathways and testing interventions., G7923275117, G8186070293, G8276714428, Health, Aging and Dementia in South Africa: A Longitudinal Study (HAALSI)
OpenAlex ID: W4294676963