Page 90 - IJPS-11-4

International Journal of

Population Studies

RESEARCH ARTICLE
Unveiling health disparities and assessing well-

being of older adults in China’s aging society:
The socioeconomic nexus

Kevin Yu-Ching Hsieh* and Rikiya Matsukura

Nihon University Population Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract

With China’s population aging rapidly, the challenge of preserving and enhancing
the health of its older citizens has gained paramount importance. Leveraging data
from the fourth wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, this
study examines the relationship between socioeconomic status and well-being of
older adults in the context of China’s evolving demographic landscape. Empirical
analysis reveals compelling statistical evidence that underscores the significant
influence of socioeconomic status on the health outcomes of older adults. Notably,
socioeconomic factors such as education level, place of residence, household
registration (hukou [户口]) type, and Communist Party of China membership
significantly affect the mental and cognitive well-being of older adults, with a
more pronounced impact on mental health. These findings emphasize the need for
*Corresponding author: targeted policies to address disparities and promote holistic well-being as China
Kevin Yu-Ching Hsieh grapples with an aging population.
(yqxie1996@yahoo.co.jp)
Citation: Hsieh, K.Y. & Matsukura,
R. (2025). Unveiling health Keywords: Older adults; Socioeconomic status; Health disparity; Health inequity;
disparities and assessing well-being CHARLS; China
of older adults in China’s aging
society: The socioeconomic nexus.
International Journal of Population
Studies, 11(4): 84-99.
https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.2035 1. Introduction
Received: October 13, 2023 China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001 marked a watershed moment
Revised: February 7, 2024 in its economic history, propelling the nation into the global limelight as a manufacturing
giant. The influx of foreign direct investment played an instrumental role in expediting
Accepted: March 15, 2024 China’s journey toward globalization. By 2009, China’s total economic output had
Published online: June 24, 2024 outstripped that of Japan, solidifying its position as the world’s second-largest economy.
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s). However, this impressive economic growth, averaging 8% annually over three decades,
This is an Open-Access article encountered an abrupt interruption with the advent of the 2019 pandemic.
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution Concurrently, as of 2021, the proportion of China’s population aged 65 and above
License, permitting distribution, reached 14.2% of its total populace. The year 2022 witnessed a historic turning point,
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is as China experienced its first population decline in 61 years, with a reduction of 850
properly cited. thousand individuals. The demographic challenges have garnered worldwide attention,
prompting the Chinese government to acknowledge the pressing issue of population
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with aging.
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional The repeal of the 36-year-old one-child policy in 2014 resulted in a significant
affiliations. upswing in births. In 2016, China recorded a record high of 17.86 million births, the

Volume 11 Issue 4 (2025) 84 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.2035