Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40401073›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in public health2025

Unpacking the role of financial literacy in the debt-mental health nexus: evidence from China.

Yunchao Cai

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

1 author.

Yunchao CaiSchool of Economics and Management, Ankang University, Ankang, Shaanxi, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the growing challenges associated with household debt, research on factors influencing its relationship with psychological well-being remains limited. This study investigates the role of financial literacy in the nexus between household indebtedness and mental health, addressing a significant gap in the literature. Methods: Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2014 wave, a nationally representative dataset, we analyze how financial literacy interacts with household debt and mental health outcomes. Multiple model specifications are employed to assess the moderating and mediating effects of financial literacy. Results: Our findings reveal two key roles of financial literacy: (1) it improves mental health by reducing household indebtedness, and (2) it moderates the negative relationship between debt and mental health. Notably, basic financial literacy is a critical factor, particularly in explaining the effects of non-housing debt (as opposed to housing debt). Discussion: The study highlights the dual function of financial literacy in mitigating the adverse psychological effects of household debt. Policymakers and financial educators should consider promoting financial literacy as a tool to enhance mental health, especially in contexts of high indebtedness. Future research could explore additional mediators and cultural variations in this relationship.

Indexed as

LiteracyMental HealthAdultChinaFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSocioeconomic FactorsChinafinancial literacyhousehold indebtednessmental healthnon-housing debt

Identifiers

PMID40401073
PMCPMC12092232

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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.