Whose Education Matters for Health Trajectories in Later Life? A Three-Generation Comparison in China

Tingshuai Ge, Institute for Population and Development Studies, Xi’an Jiaotong University
Qing Han, Institute for Population and Development Studies, School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University Insti...
Xinfeng Cheng, School of Economics and Management, Xi’an Technological University
Xiaomin Li, Xi'an Jiaotong University

Drawing on data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) over the period 2011-2020 (N = 9,800 individuals aged 45-85; N = 36,743 person-years), we analyze three key areas: (1) the influence of educational attainment across three generations within a family on health trajectories in later life; (2) the variation of these relationships across different health indicators; (3) the differences between genders. Our analysis, based on hierarchical linear regression models, reveals that for men, disparities in mental health associated with individual, spousal, and children’s education increase with age, as do disparities in physical health linked to individual, parental, and children’s education. Among women, the educational differences in mental health connected to their parents and children also widen with age, while disparities in physical health related to their own, their spouse’s, and their children’s education grow over time. These findings highlight the significant role of family members’ education in shaping individual health trajectories in older age. However, the impact varies depending on the educational factors considered, the health indicators examined, and the gender of the individuals.

Keywords: Older Adults and Intergenerational Relations, Population Ageing, Gender Dynamics, Longitudinal studies

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