The goal of this research is to investigate the effects of social change on family functioning and its consequence for the physical and psychological health of elderly people living in Anhui Province, China. As it makes the transition to a free-market economy, China is undergoing rapid economic development and unprecedented rural-to-urban migration. Since a large majority of migrants are young working-age adults, there is fear that the elderly are being left to fend for themselves in rural areas a violation of the strong familial role (usually occupied by the son) in caring for older relatives in Chinese families. Accompanying economic change and geographic mobility is the weakening of filial piety long a cornerstone of Chinese society that mandated profound respect and responsibility for older citizens. These changes are of particular concern for the welfare of the aged, as China does not have universal social security or health care available for its older citizens. This project seeks to answer the question of whether economic, structural, and normative changes in China have put the elderly at-risk of psychological distress and physical impairment. The project will consist of a longitudinal study of 3,000 randomly selected elderly (60+) Chinese living in Anhui Province a largely rural province, but one that has experienced unprecedented out- migration from its rural areas. Surveys will be conducted at two time periods, 18 months apart, to identify how household and family structure, intergenerational transfers of social and economic support, and norms of filial piety among the elderly influence their psychological being (depression, affect balance, locus of control and morale) and physical well-being (functional health, self-assessed health, disease states). After the second wave of data is collected, longitudinal analyses will identify whether social and family deficits cause change in the well-being of the elderly. The longitudinal design of the research is crucial for understanding the dynamic process by which family support affects the quality of life of older people. This research brings together a scholar from the Andrus Gerontology Center, at the University of Southern California (with extensive experience studying intergenerational relationships among the elderly in the United States) and a scholar from the Population Research Institute of Anhui University (who has performed studies on population aging and family life in China). This investigation will capitalize on the historical contingency of rapid social and economic change in contemporary China, enhancing the Principle Investigator s funded research to study the effects of social changes on family functioning and well-being of older people in the United States. The speed with which economic change is occurring in China make it an excellent laboratory for capturing the effects of social change within a relatively small window of time and within an older population experiencing the erosion of filial piety and radical change in family structure and function.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
5R03TW001060-02
Application #
6188683
Study Section
International and Cooperative Projects 1 Study Section (ICP)
Program Officer
Michels, Kathleen M
Project Start
1999-09-30
Project End
2003-08-31
Budget Start
2001-09-01
Budget End
2002-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$30,335
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Southern California
Department
Type
Other Domestic Higher Education
DUNS #
041544081
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90089
Guo, Man; Chi, Iris; Silverstein, Merril (2016) Trajectories and Determinants of Elder Care in Rural China During an 8-Year Period: Why Having Sons Makes a Difference. Res Aging 38:531-53
Guo, Man (2014) Parental status and late-life well-being in rural China: the benefits of having multiple children. Aging Ment Health 18:19-29
Guo, Man; Chi, Iris; Silverstein, Merril (2013) Sources of older parents' ambivalent feelings toward their adult children: the case of rural China. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 68:420-30
Song, Lu; Li, Shuzhuo; Feldman, Marcus W (2012) Out-migration of Young Adults and Gender Division of Intergenerational Support in Rural China. Res Aging 34:399-424
Cong, Zhen; Silverstein, Merril (2011) Parents' depressive symptoms and support from sons and daughters in Rural China. Int J Soc Welf 20:s4-s17
Li, Shuzhuo; Song, Lu; Feldman, Marcus W (2009) Intergenerational support and subjective health of older people in rural China: a gender-based longitudinal study. Australas J Ageing 28:81-6
Silverstein, Merril; Cong, Zhen; Li, Shuzhuo (2006) Intergenerational transfers and living arrangements of older people in rural China: consequences for psychological well-being. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 61:S256-66