Impact of health shocks on social capital: How long will it persist?

Adverse health shocks impoverish over 150 million individuals worldwide annually. These shocks harm the health, wealth accumulation, and well-being of patients and their families. However, the effect of health shocks on social capital and their persistence remains uncertain. This cross-sectional study conducted in 2023 in socioeconomically deprived rural areas of Shandong, China, employed Ordinary Least Squares regression to examine the impact and persistence of health shocks on social capital. The results indicated that 29.24 % of households experienced health shocks. Households affected by health shocks within the past year showed a significant decrease in social capital (β = -2.82, <i>P</i> < 0.001).This impact diminished over time (between one and three years ago: β = -1.49, <i>P</i> = 0.21; more than three years ago: β = -1.10, <i>P</i> = 0.36). The findings also reveal a stronger impact on cognitive social capital compared to structural social capital (cognitive social capital: β = -1.78, <i>P</i> = 0.001; structural social capital: β = -1.038, <i>P</i> = 0.006). Policymakers should not only offer financial aid to families suffering from health shocks but also focus on restoring their social capital.