Accounting for urban versus rural discrepancies in mortality and functional health among older adults in China

Update Item Information
Publication Type Working Paper
Department Institute of Public and International Affairs (IPIA)
Program Institute of Public and International Affairs (IPIA)
Creator Zimmer, Zachary
Other Author Kaneda, Toshiko; Tang, Zhe; Fang, Xianghua
Title Accounting for urban versus rural discrepancies in mortality and functional health among older adults in China
Date 2006-09-05
Description Broad differences exist in social and economic life between residents living in urban versus rural areas of China. To study the health implications of these differences, the current study employs data from a longitudinal study of older adults in the Beijing municipality, a region of China that has witnessed very rapid socio-economic growth coupled with widening rural/urban gaps in development and health service provision. Life expectancy and active life expectancy, the latter referring to expected years in a functionally healthy state, is estimated for rural and urban samples in a two-step process that involves first, the estimation of hazard rates considering transitions in functional health and mortality and next, the conversion of these rates into transition probabilities for the construction of multi-state life-tables. Estimates reveal a distinct urban advantage in both mortality and functional health. At age 55, urban elders live about 4½ years longer and 5½ more functionally active years than do their rural counterparts, and an advantage is maintained with increasing age. Covariates representing five domains are considered to determine factors that underlie the urban advantage. Socioeconomic status and access to health service indicators account for a good deal of the association, social support and health behaviors account for very little, while chronic disease acts as a suppressor. The results have obvious policy implications regarding the need for increasing education, better work opportunities, wider insurance coverage and easier access to health facilities for rural residents of China.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Chinese; Elderly; Health care; Quality of life; Population
Subject LCSH Older people; China; Medical care
Language eng
Bibliographic Citation Zimmer, Z., Kaneda, T., Tang, Z., & Fang, X.(2006). Accounting for Urban versus Rural Discrepancies in Mortality and Functional Health among Older Adults in China. Institute of Public and International Affairs (IPIA).
Series Institute of Public and International Affairs Working Papers
Rights Management (c) 2006 University of Utah
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 290,731 bytes
Identifier ir-main,645
ARK ark:/87278/s6cc1j5z
Setname ir_uspace
ID 706072
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6cc1j5z