Are Health Shocks Different? : Evidence from a Multi-Shock Survey in Laos

Using primary data from Laos, we compare a broad range of different types of shocks in terms of their incidence, distribution between the poor and the better off, idiosyncrasy, costs, coping responses, and self-reported impacts on well-being. Health shocks are more common than most other shocks, more concentrated among the poor, more idiosyncratic, more costly, trigger more coping strategies, and highly likely to lead to a cut in consumption. Household members experiencing a health shock lost, on average, 0.6 point on a five-point health scale; the wealthier are better able to limit the health impacts of a health shock. For non-commercial use in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions at http://olabout.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-820227.html