Strengthening of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Health System Reform: Effect on Health Outcomes and Financial Protection
Table 3
Robustness check.
Model 3 (proportion of TCM hospitals, %)
Model 4 (proportion of TCM hospital beds, %)
Health outcomes
Age-standardized excess mortality per 100,000 population
−0.004 (−1.907, 1.899)
−1.178 (−4.077, 1.721)
Life expectancy at birth (both genders/days)
16.425 (10.702, 22.148)
30.295 (20.995, 39.595)
Life expectancy at birth (female/days)
12.775 (3.475, 22.075)
34.675 (21.082, 48.268)
Life expectancy at birth (male/days)
19.345 (14.337, 24.353)
25.915 (18.046, 33.784)
Financial protection
Health expenses as a percentage of total consumption expenses among urban residents (%)
−0.016 (−0.051, 0.019)
−0.046 (−0.101, 0.009)
Health expenses as a percentage of total consumption expenses among rural residents (%)
−0.138 (−0.187, −0.089)
−0.102 (−0.178, −0.026)
Model 5 (number of TCM physicians per 100,000 population)
Model 6 (proportion of TCM physicians, %)
Health outcomes
Crude mortality per 100,000 population
−1.107 (−2.25, 0.036)
−6.715 (−9.224, −4.206)
Financial protection
Health expenses as a percentage of total income among urban residents (%)
−0.027 (−0.047, −0.007)
−0.023 (−0.062, 0.016)
Health expenses as a percentage of total income among rural residents (%)
0.018 (−0.013, 0.049)
0.061 (0.002, 0.12)
Model 7 (number of TCM physicians per 100,000 population)
Model 8 (proportion of TCM physicians, %)
Low-health resource provinces
High-health resource provinces
Low-health resource provinces
High-health resource provinces
Health outcomes
Age-standardized excess mortality
−1.715 (−3.138, −0.292)
−1.934 (−3.261, −0.607)
−5.060 (−8.057, −2.063)
−5.490 (−8.610, −2.370)
Life expectancy at birth (both genders/days)
6.205 (1.913, 10.497)
2.555 (−1.737, 6.847)
17.885 (7.869, 27.901)
12.045 (2.029, 22.061)
Life expectancy at birth (female/days)
3.285 (−3.869, 10.439)
−2.555 (−8.994, 3.884)
10.950 (−3.358, 25.258)
1.460 (−13.563, 16.483)
Life expectancy at birth (male/days)
8.030 (3.738, 12.322)
6.205 (2.628, 9.782)
21.900 (13.315, 30.485)
18.250 (9.665, 26.835)
Financial protection
Health expenses as a percentage of total consumption expenses among urban residents (%)
−0.048 (−0.073, −0.023)
−0.051 (−0.076, −0.026)
−0.042 (−0.099, 0.015)
−0.059 (−0.118, 0.000)
Health expenses as a percentage of total consumption expenses among rural residents (%)
−0.044 (−0.081, −0.007)
−0.050 (−0.085, −0.015)
−0.081 (−0.161, −0.001)
−0.095 (−0.179, −0.011)
Model was adjusted for province and yearly fixed effects, dependency ratio (%), illiteracy rate (%), and GDP per capita (thousands RMB). 95% CI in parentheses. .