How do education and religion affect the health and well-being of the very old in China?

by 1977- Zhang, Wei

Does education have a cumulative or persistent effect on well-being? If it does, does it vary by sex or what are the mechanisms linking them? These questions have seldom been explored in Asia among its very old people. Using the 1998-2002 Chinese Healthy Longevity Survey, this chapter reveals that: (1) Education has both short-term and longterm effects on emotional and cognitive well-being and life quality; (2) Economic conditions, psychosocial resources and healthy lifestyles mediate the education-health association; and (3) The association between educational attainment and cognitive wellbeing (or lack of cognitive decline) among the oldest old Chinese is stronger among women than men. This difference is explained by women’s higher mean levels of engagement in daily activities and psychosocial resources. Therefore, this chapter contributes to the literature by (1) revealing the cumulative, or at least persistent, effects of education on emotional and cognitive well-being; (2) extending the Western findings into a new cultural setting with appropriate theoretical and operational alterations; and (3) encouraging Chinese policy makers to be aware of the long-term effects of education on health for its senior citizens. 12