Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39972253›Full record

ArticleBMC geriatrics2025

Educational attainment and male-female health-survival paradox among older adults in China: a nationally representative longitudinal study.

He Chen, Man Li, Ye Zhang

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Article in BMC geriatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

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5citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

He ChenSchool of Public Administration and Policy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China.
Man LiSchool of Public Administration and Policy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China.
Ye ZhangPopulation Development Studies Center, Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100872, People's Republic of China. ye.zhang@ruc.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe male-female health-survival paradox is characterized by the phenomenon where "women get sicker, but men die quicker." Health expectancy, as a composite metric that encompasses both the quantity and quality of life, serves as a unique tool for analyzing this gender paradox. In this study, we investigate the relationship between educational attainment and the gender paradox among older adults in China.

methodsUtilizing data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we focused on community-dwelling individuals aged 60 and above. Health was assessed using the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). Educational attainment was dichotomized into low (primary education and below) and high (secondary education and above). We controlled for demographic, socioeconomic, and health behaviors confounders. Microsimulation techniques were employed to estimate total life expectancy (TLE), disability-free life expectancy (DFLE), and health ratio.

resultsIn China, educational attainment was positively associated with TLE and DFLE, with these benefits being more pronounced in females. Among individuals with lower educational attainment, females had significantly greater TLE (female-male difference: 3.82 years, 95% CI: 3.68 to 3.96) and DFLE (2.91 years, 95% CI: 2.78 to 3.04), but a lower health ratio (-2.14%, 95% CI: -2.41% to -1.87%) compared to males. In contrast, females with higher educational attainment not only lived longer but also healthier. Among these individuals, females had significantly greater TLE (5.89 years, 95% CI: 5.71 to 6.08), DFLE (6.02 years, 95% CI: 5.84 to 6.19), and a more favorable health ratio (95% CI: 2.60% to 3.19%) compared to males.

conclusionsEducation plays a crucial role in enabling females to overcome disadvantages associated with the gender paradox in China. Enhancing gender equality in educational opportunities is expected to promote healthy longevity among females in the country.

Indexed as

Educational StatusHealth StatusLife ExpectancyActivities of Daily LivingAgedAged, 80 and overChinaFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedSex FactorsSurvival RateEducationHealth-survival paradoxHealthy longevityPhysical health

Identifiers

PMID39972253
PMCPMC11837581

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.