TEMPERATURE VARIATION, HEALTH, AND PRIVATE MEDICAL COSTS: EVIDENCE FROM CHINA

As heat waves become more frequent and intense around the world, climate change’s effect on human health has aroused widespread concern in society. Using China Family Panel Studies in 2014–2018, this paper empirically examines the health depreciation and medical cost effects of temperature variation. The outcomes demonstrated that the health depreciation effect of temperature variation manifested as impairment of fitness, mental health, and social adaptability. The health depreciation effect of cumulative high temperature is greater, resulting in higher private medical costs. There is a significant nonlinear relationship between temperature bins, spring/summer temperature variability, and medical costs. In addition, there is heterogeneity in the impact of temperature variation on medical costs at the levels of risk, exposure, and vulnerability. This paper enriches research related to the impact of temperature variation on population health depreciation and individual medical costs and provides a scientific basis for a focused, subpopulation, and subregional response to the trend of frequent extreme heat and for promoting public health.