ARE HEALTH SHOCKS DIFFERENT? EVIDENCE FROM A MULTISHOCK SURVEY IN LAOS

ABSTRACT 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. Copyright © 2013 The World Bank Group.