Informal and formal care among single‐living elderly in Europe
基于欧洲SHARE数据，分析子女或孙辈提供的非正式照护与正式照护是替代还是互补关系，并发现这种关系在欧洲存在南北差异，且需处理非正式照护的内生性。
The aims of this study were to analyse (1) whether informal care, provided by children or grandchildren to their elderly parents, and formal care are substitutes or complements, and (2) whether this relationship differs across Europe. The analyses were based on cross-sectional data from the newly developed SHARE (Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe) database. We found (1) that informal and formal home care are substitutes, while informal care is a complement to doctor and hospital visits, and (2) that these relationships in some cases differ according to a European north-south gradient. Instrumental variable methods were used and the results highlight the importance of accounting for the endogeneity of informal care.