Covering the long shadow: the moderating role of children's education on health disparity by social origin in Japan

This study investigates the moderating role of children's education on health disparity by social origin (origin health gap) in Japan. Previous studies have quantified origin health gap, but few studies have considered how origin health gap is reduced. Filling this lacuna, I focus on the education of children which also has a spillover effect on individuals' health. I examine how much the origin health gap is closed if I hypothetically intervene to equalize children's education. Results from Social Stratification and Mobility survey revealed that about 30.2 % of origin health gap is closed under the hypothetical intervention. The results are 19.4 % for male and 34.9 % for female. This study also has a policy implication in terms of generational equity; closing the educational inequality of children has a spillover effect to the health disparity of older adults by social origin.