Widowhood and self-rated health among Chinese elders: The effect of economic condition

Objective: To examine the mediating effect of economic condition (income, work status, self-rated financial situation and financial support) on widowhood and self-rated health in elderly Chinese. Methods: The study sample consists of 17 556 married and widowed elders age 60 and older selected from the nationwide 2000 Sample Survey on Aged Population in Urban/Rural China. Path analysis is used to identify the direct and indirect relationships of economic condition between widowhood and self-rated health. Results: Widowhood has a direct effect on self-rated health for those widowed for more than 4 years. Work status and perceived financial situation mediate that relationship regardless of length of time widowed. Being older, male, less educated, and functionally healthy are associated with better self-rated health among those widowed. Conclusions: Work status and perceived financial situation have a more significant effect on widowhood and self-rated health than income and financial support. The findings have cross-cultural implications for developing elder care programs.