Intergenerational Support and Self-rated Health of the Elderly in Rural China: An Investigation in Chaohu, Anhui Province

Abstract

Data from the survey “Welfare of Elderly in Anhui Province, China” conducted in October 2001 by the Institute for Population and Development Studies of Xi’an Jiaotong University are used in a logistic regression analysis to determine the effects of intergenerational financial, instrumental and emotional support on the self-rated health of Chinese rural elderly. The results show that financial support, both received and provided, as well as mutual emotional support between parents and children have positive impacts on self-rated health of the elderly. However, instrumental support, both received and provided, exhibits no relationship with the self-rated health of the elderly. Socio-demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, as well as the health status of the elderly are also found to affect their selfrated health.