Health Care Spending, Family Structure and Family Health

Abstract

We use data from the ABS National Health Surveys for 1989/95 and 1995 to examine differences in health care expenditures and health outcomes by family structure. We find that, on average, female single parents tend to experience poorer health outcomes, and exhibit more ‘risky’ health behaviours (particularly smoking), compared to adults in ‘two-parent’ families. Children in female single parent families tend to have more chronic health conditions than children in two-parent families. We also find that single parent families tend to spend a lower proportion of their income on health care, while receiving fewer indirect health care resources through government. Policies that may help reduce the economic and health disadvantages facing single parent families are considered.