Did war have a more adverse impact on women's long-term health outcomes: Evidence from China

Abstract

Abstract Men and women may face different risks and experiences in war, which can lead to significantly different long-term health outcomes impacts. This paper distinguishes the aggressive wars and civil wars in modern China and uses 1998–2018 CLHLS data to examine gender differences and its nature differences in the long-term health outcomes impacts of war shocks on individual, the potential mechanisms and compensatory effects. We find that the negative effects of war experiences in early life course on women's long-term health outcomes is more significant compared to men. The war nature exhibits a heterogeneous influence on women's long-term health outcomes, with aggressive wars having greater negative effects than civil wars. And factors such as lack of drinking water and inadequate healthcare services in early life course are wars potential mechanisms, with aggressive wars having greater effects. In addition, the education level, healthcare service, marital status, and Communist Party membership have significant compensatory effects for wars, with civil wars particularly stronger are. Indicating the consequences of aggressive war on women's long-term health outcomes are permanent and cannot be reversed.