Gender Patterns of Eldercare in China |
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| Authors: | Xinxin Chen John Giles Yafeng Wang Yaohui Zhao |
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| Institution: | 1. Institute of Social Science Survey, Peking University, Room 528, No. 5, Science Building, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Beijing 100871, Chinaxinxinchen.zjgsu@gmail.com;3. World Bank, Development Research Group, 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433 USA jgiles@worldbank.org;4. Institute of Social Science Survey, Peking University, Room 614, No. 5 Science Building, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Beijing 100871, China econyfwang@gmail.com;5. National School of Development, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, Beijing 100871, China yhzhao@nsd.pku.edu.cn |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACTUsing the baseline wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), collected from 2011 to 2012, this study finds that among those age 60 and above, women are 7.6 percent more likely than men to have care needs and 29.3 percent more likely than men to have unmet needs; and that most of the gender gap in unmet needs is explained by the existence and health status of a spouse. Further analysis reveals a sharp gender division in patterns of family care in China. While men are more likely to receive care from their wives, women are primarily cared for by their children. Marital status and spouse health also affect provision of care, with infirm women who have healthy husbands less likely to receive care than infirm men with healthy wives. The findings have important implications for designing gender-sensitive policies in eldercare. |
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| Keywords: | KEYWORDS |
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