The changes of disability-free life expectancy and inter-generation support for the elderly in China: 2005-2010

Abstract

China, the world’s most populous country, has entered a period of rapid aging. But less work has been done in systematically assessing the health status and intergenerational support resources of the elderly, a growing proportion of whom may be with inadequate government or family support. This study employs Sullivan method and SOCSIM micro-simulation analysis technique on the aggregate data of China’s 1 % National Population Sample Survey in 2005, the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, and other aggregate census data in China since 1953 to estimate the changes of LE, DFLE, and the change of intergenerational support resources of Chinese elderly from gender and/or urban-rural perspectives. The results indicate that the proportion of DFLE in LE is increasing, the increasing speed of DFLE/LE is higher among rural/female elderly than that among urban/male elderly at all ages between 2005 and 2010, and the number of children of the elderly at lower ages keep decreasing, which indicate that they need more care resources in a near future. This study provides insight into imbuing community helping and pension institutions with gender and urban-rural differences in China.