Objective and subjective financial status and mortality among older adults in China

• Published in: Archives of gerontology and geriatrics 2019-03, Vol.81, p.182-191
• Main Authors: Wang, Ruojing, Feng, Qiushi, Dupre, Matthew E., Guo, Aimei, Qiu, Li, Hao, Lisha, Zhao, Yuan, Gu, Danan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; China; CLHLS; Female; Health Status; Humans; Longevity; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Mortality; Objective financial status; Oldest-old; Rural Population; Social Class; Subjective financial status
• ISSN: 0167-4943; 1872-6976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2018.12.006

•Objective and subjective measures of financial status are associated with mortality risks.•Mortality reductions are greater for subjective than objective measures of financial status.•Family income is less predictive of mortality at ages 80+ than at younger ages.•Family income is more predictive of mortality in urban areas than in rural areas.•Financial decision-making power is a strong predictor of mortality in old age. The association between financial status and mortality in older adults is well documented. However, it is unclear whether the association may vary by objective and subjective indicators of financial status. To examine this issue, we used the latest four waves (2005, 2008/2009, 2011/2012, and 2014) of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) of community-residing adults aged 65 and older (n = 25,954). Financial status was assessed using eight objective, subjective, and culturally-oriented measures to capture various dimensions of financial resources at older ages. Multivariate hazard models were used to examine how different indicators of financial status were associated with subsequent mortality in all older adults and by age, gender, and urban-rural residence. Results showed that higher financial status—either objective or subjective—was associated with lower risks of mortality. Subjective assessments of financial status had stronger associations with mortality than objective assessments. The patterns were generally similar between young-old (aged 65–79) and the oldest-old (aged 80+), between women and men, and between rural and urban areas. Together, the findings offer new evidence to help improve the socioeconomic gradient in mortality among older adults in China.