Smart Cities and Health Inequality: Evidence from the Smart City Policy in China

Abstract As cities worldwide advance digital transformation to improve public health, a key question arises: Can smart city initiatives simultaneously bridge health disparities? This study examines the effects of China’s smart city policies on health inequalities. Our empirical analysis integrates the recentered influence function and difference-in-differences methods, utilizing data from the China Family Panel Studies spanning 2010 to 2020. The key findings are as follows: First, smart city policies significantly reduce health inequalities. Second, heterogeneity analysis reveals that this mitigating effect is particularly pronounced in large cities, cities with better healthcare infrastructure, and among younger populations. This paper provides policy insights into enhancing public health through the effective implementation of smart city initiatives.