Analysis Goals

A large number of important health, demographic, socioeconomic, and nutrition policy studies can be undertaken with these data. In all cases the research design includes consideration of crucial confounding factors and other methodological complexities (e.g., unobserved heterogeneity, endogeneity of determinants) which would complicate the analysis. Statistical techniques allow the analyst to consider the sequencing of events and examine causal relationships in a longitudinal manner. The basic motivation for all of these studies is the necessity of integrating biomedical and socioeconomic policy analyses. The central research objectives of our project team include the following:

Nutrition

Modeling the Nutrition Transition:

A longitudinal analysis of the variety of factors affecting individual food choice, nutrient intake, physical activity and inactivity, and nutritional status with a focus on dietary patterns associated either with nutritional deficit or excess is being undertaken. The linkage of these patterns with hypertension and cardiovascular disease is being studied.

A wide range of more detailed studies on food choice, eating patterns, and associated factors can be undertaken. One of the cornerstones of the project is the collection of precise and detailed dietary data both for all individuals in the household as well as for the total household.

Measures of Body Image and Mass Media Use as it Relates to Diet, Activity, and Health:

Data are being collected to allow scholars to understand mass media utilization patterns and their effects on attitudes and behaviors among children.  These will be used to study how modern mass media dynamics affect child health in China.

Poverty and Nutrition:

The relationship between poverty, dietary intake, and nutritional status will be examined.

Physical Function of the Older Population:

Monitoring of the health, nutritional status and physical functioning of adults aged 55 and older is an integral component of this survey as we attempt to provide the basis for scholars who wish to study the aging process cognitively, physically, and physiologically.

Health

Financing the Health Sector:

Data on a wide range of behaviors related to health service use as well as health status are collected to allow one to study the effects of supply and demand factors on private and public health service demand. The analysis of how price levels and insurance protection affect usage will be especially important for health finance policy makers.

Inequality, Social Change and Health:

Various ways of defining and measuring inequality can be explored, and the relationships among poverty, rapid social change and health can be examined.

Fertility

A wide range of data on the roles of women, child care, and many other dimensions of a woman's life as well as other sociodemographic household data are collected along with in-depth information on fertility and related proximate determinants.