EVOLUTION and DIFFERENTIATION of INFLUENCE of THE MIDDLE-AGED and OLDER ADULTS "CEASELESS WORK" on DEPRESSION in RURAL CHINA

Zhaoyuan HU, Xidian University
Xiaoxuan Wang, Xi'an Jiaotong University

Social welfare in rural China is relatively weak, self-support through continuous work can compensate for the weakening of family support for the elderly. While rural workers have to face employment squeeze since about 45 years old, long-term informal employment will increase the risk of excessive labor. This paper uses data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study and relevant data from CHINA CITY STATISTICAL YEARBOOK,studies the influence of the middle-aged and older adults ceaseless work on depression in rural China by using the growth curve model. The results show that non-agricultural labor reduces depression, but its effect diminishes over time. Engaging in agricultural labor for extended periods or into older age is associated with an increased risk of depression. Under the principle of family benefit maximization, rural parents may continue working to financially support their children, or stop working to care for their grandchildren. With limited human capital, they struggle to balance family responsibilities with unstable employment. Ceaseless work may lead to late-life crises due to a lack of security and the intergenerational transmission of children’s pressure of livelihood, marriage, and grandchild care.

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

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