ABSTRACT

Zimmer, Zachary and Julia Kwong. 2004. "Socioeconomic status and health among older adults in rural and urban China," Journal of Aging and Health 16(1): 44–70. (offsite PDF)

Objective
The association between socioeconomic status (SES) and health, which has proven to be quite robust, is rarely tested in societies where levels of economic development and systems of stratification differ from those in Western developed countries. This article examines associations in rural and urban China.

Method
Techniques include logit equation estimates of separate and pooled samples. The latter employ interaction terms to test rural and urban effects. Socioeconomic indicators include those more customarily used in these types of studies (e.g., education) and several that are less traditional (e.g., pension eligibility).

Results
Results indicate associations exist in China. Bank savings is the strongest predictor. Some unexpected results are also found, including a positive association between socioeconomic status and chronic conditions (e.g., cardiovascular disease) among older adults in urban China.

Discussion
Use and access to a health care professional might explain part of this anomaly.

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