Financial Strain Over the Life Course and Health Among Older Adults: A Rural-Urban Comparison
Rong Fu

TL;DR
This study explores how financial strain in childhood and adulthood affects health in older adults in China, with differences found between rural and urban areas.
Contribution
The study reveals rural-urban differences in how financial strain impacts health, emphasizing the importance of subjective socioeconomic status.
Findings
Childhood and current financial strain are linked to poor health in urban older adults.
Only current financial strain is associated with poor health in rural older adults.
Abstract
As economic hardship and insecurity increase globally, understanding how subjective socioeconomic status influences health beyond objective measures is essential. This study examines the impact of childhood and adulthood financial strain on health among older adults in mainland China, with attention to potential rural-urban differences. Data were derived from two waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). The final sample included 8,175 adults aged 62 and older. Statistical analyses were conducted separately for rural and urban populations. Multiple imputation techniques were used to handle missing data. The findings indicate that both childhood and current financial strain were significantly associated with poor health among urban older adults, even after adjusting for other risk factors such as household income and poverty. In contrast, among rural older…
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Taxonomy
TopicsHealth disparities and outcomes · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Employment and Welfare Studies
