The Individual and the Welfare State

by Borsch-Supan, Axel; Brandt, Martina; Hank, Karsten; Schroder, Mathis

• ISBN13: 9783642174711
• ISBN10: 364217471X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-04-29
• Publisher: Springer Verlag

Summary

Our health, our income and our social networks at older ages are the consequence of what has happened to us over the course of our lives. The situation at age 50+ reflects our own decisions as well as many environmental factors, especially interventions by the welfare state. This book takes advantage of the richness of 28,000 life histories in thirteen European countries, collected as part of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Combining these data with a comprehensive account of European welfare state interventions provides a unique opportunity to answer the important public policy questions of our time ' how the welfare state has affected people's incomes, housing, families, retirement, volunteering and health. The overarching theme of the welfare state creates a book of genuinely interdisciplinary analyses, a valuable resource for economists, gerontologists, historians, political scientists, public health analysts, and sociologists alike.

Table of Contents

Employment and Health at 50+: An Introduction to a Life History Approach to European Welfare State Interventions	p. 1
Income, Housing, and Wealth
Explaining Persistent Poverty in SHARE: Does the Past Play a Role?	p. 19
Childhood, Schooling and Income Inequality	p. 31
Human Capital Accumulation and Investment Behaviour	p. 45
The Impact of Childhood Health and Cognition on Portfolio Choice	p. 59
Nest Leaving in Europe	p. 67
Homeownership in Old Age at the Crossroad Between Personal and National Histories	p. 81
Does Downsizing of Housing Equity Alleviate Financial Distress in Old Age?	p. 93
Separation: Consequences for Wealth in Later Life	p. 103
Work and Retirement
Early and Later Life Experiences of Unemployment Under Different Welfare Regimes	p. 117
Labour Mobility and Retirement	p. 125
Atypical Work Patterns of Women in Europe: What Can We Learn From SHARELIFE?	p. 137
Maternity and Labour Market Outcome: Short and Long Term Effects	p. 151
Reproductive History and Retirement: Gender Differences and Variations Across Welfare States	p. 161
Quality of Work, Health and Early Retirement: European Comparisons	p. 169
Working Conditions in Mid-life and Participation in Voluntary Work After Labour Market Exit	p. 179
Health and Health Care
Scar or Blemish? Investigating the Long-Term Impact of Involuntary Job Loss on Health	p. 191
Life-Course Health and Labour Market Exit in 13 European Countries: Results from Sharelife	p. 203
Work Disability and Health Over the Life Course	p. 215
Health Insurance Coverage and Adverse Selection	p. 225
Lifetime History of Prevention in European Countries: The Case of Dental Check-Ups	p. 233
Disparities in Regular Health Care Utilisation in Europe	p. 241
Does Poor Childhood Health Explain Increased Health Care Utilisation and Payments in Middle and Old Age?	p. 225
Persecution
Persecution in Central Europe and Its Consequences on the Lives of SHARE Respondents	p. 271
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