The Dynamics of Health Inequality in Kagera Region in Tanzania, 1991-2010

Abstract

This paper investigates issues related to the dynamics of health inequality and its
relation to income in Kagera region in Tanzania. Specifically, it investigates the size of
health inequality and examines the extent of income-related health inequality and
income in the region. The study uses the Kagera Health and Development Survey
(KHDS) panel data, and a measure of income-related health inequality and healthrelated
income inequality as proposed by Allanson et al. (2010) to measure the extent of income-related
health inequality and health-related income inequality.
The findings show that there is a relationship between relative health changes and individuals’ initial
level of income, which implies income plays a vital role in reducing inequalities in
health. Furthermore, health-related income mobility is found to be positive, signifying
that the current health status was more strongly related to the current income than
lagged income. The key findings imply that income-related policy interventions for
improving health status of the poor is inevitable.

Keywords: health, poverty, Kagera, inequality, dynamics