Social mobility and health gain: the combined effects of material conditions, psychological support, and social capital

TL;DR

This study shows that moving up socially in China improves health, especially for men and those starting with lower status, through better material conditions, support, and social connections.

Contribution

The study expands social mobility theory by examining its health effects in China and identifying key mechanisms.

Findings

Upward social mobility is linked to better self-rated health in China.

Health benefits are stronger for males and those with lower initial socioeconomic status.

Material conditions, psychological support, and social capital mediate the health effects of social mobility.

Abstract

Research on how social mobility impacts health has primarily focused on developed countries or regions, with a notable absence of in-depth examination into the underlying mechanisms responsible for these influences.

This paper utilizes data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey to focus on the health effects of social mobility in China and the underlying mechanisms behind these effects.

We employed an ordered logistic regression model as the baseline to test the health effects of social mobility. To address endogeneity issues, we used placebo tests, instrumental variable methods, and the Karlson-Holm-Breen mediation analysis to explore the pathways through which social mobility affects health.

Our findings indicate that upward social mobility is associated with better self-rated health, and this conclusion holds in China. The health benefits of upward social mobility are more pronounced for males and individuals with lower initial socioeconomic status. Upward social mobility primarily influences individuals’ health through material conditions, psychological support, and social capital.

Our research findings support the rising from rags hypothesis, expanding the research context of social mobility theory, which provides a new perspective on promoting health equity and improving health within the life course context.

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