Skip to main content

Health and Employment of the Younger, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults in China

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Employment, Retirement and Lifestyle in Aging East Asia

Part of the book series: Social Policy and Development Studies in East Asia ((SPDSEA))

  • 284 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter investigates the influence of health on work participation in China among young, middle-aged, and older adults using a nationwide longitudinal survey data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 1997 to 2006. It is found that health positively affects work participation, and the influences of health on work participation differ among groups. As compared with the group of men with poor health, the probability of working is 15.5 ~ 20.7% points higher for healthy men; the probability of becoming a regular worker is 42.1% points higher for the healthy younger generation. The robustness checks using different samples (e.g., the group aged 16–50) once again confirm the main findings for the probability of becoming a regular worker and for longer working hours.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alexandre, P. K., & French, M. T. (2001). Labor supply of poor residents in Metropolitan Miami, Florida: The role of depression and the co-morbid effects of substance use. The Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics, 4, 161–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Afonso, P., Fonseca, M., & Pires, J. F. (2017). Impact of working hours on sleep and mental health. Occupational Medicine, 67(5), 377–382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arisawa, H. (1956). Wage structure and economic structure: The significance and background of low wage. In I. Nagayama (Ed.), Wage basic survey (pp. 40–57). Tokyo: Toyo Kaizei Press. (In Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Artazcoa, L., Cortes, I., Bernavides, F. G., Escriba-Aguir, V., & Bartoll, X. (2013). Long working hours and health in Europe: Between-country differences. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 39(4), 369–378.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Artazcoa, L., Cortes, I., Bernavides, F. G., Escriba-Aguir, V., & Bartoll, X. (2016). Long working hours and health in Europe: Gender and welfare state differences in a context of economic crisis. Health & Place, 40, 161–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bannai, A., & Tamakoshi, A. (2014). The association between long working hours and health: A systematic review of epidemiological evidence. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 40(1), 5–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnay, T. (2016). Health, work and working conditions: A review of the European economic literature. The European Journal of Health Economics, 17, 693–709.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, G. S. (1964). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bubonya, M., Cobb-Clark, D. A., & Wooden, M. (2017). Mental health and productivity at work: Does what you do matter? Labour Economics, 46, 150–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai, L. (2010). The relationship between health and labor force participation: Evidence from a panel data simultaneous equation model. Labour Economics, 17, 77–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cayuela, A., Martinez, J. M., Ronda, E., Delclos, G. L., & Conway, S. (2018). Assessing the influence of working hours on general health by migrant status and family structure: The case of Ecuadorian-, Colombian-, and Spanish-born workers in Spain. Public Health, 163, 27–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chatterji, P., Alegria, M., Lu, M., & Takeuchi, D. (2007). Psychiatric disorders and labor market outcomes: Evidence from the National Latino and Asian American study. Health Economics, 16(10), 1069–1090. https://doi.org/10.3386/w14404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chatterji, P., Alegria, M., Lu, M., & Takeuchi, D. (2011). Psychiatric disorders and labor market outcomes: Evidence from the national comorbidity survey-replication. Journal of Health Economics, 30(5), 858–868.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cho, S., Li, M., Kim, K., Ju, Y., Paek, D., & Lee, W. (2015). Working hours and self rated health over 7 years: Gender differences in a Korean longitudinal study. BMC Public Health, 15(1), 1–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Compton, J., & Pollak, R. A. (2014). Family proximity, childcare, and women’s labor force attachment. Journal of Urban Economics, 79, 72–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cygan-Rehm, K., & Wunder, C. W. (2018). Do working hours affect health? Evidence from statutory workweek regulations in Germany. Labour Economic, 53, 162–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darr, W., & Johns, G. (2008). Work strain, health, and absenteeism: A meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 13(4), 293–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, C., Veliziotis, M., Pacheco, G., & Webber, D. J. (2015). Is temporary employment a cause ore consequence of poor mental health? A panel data analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 134, 50–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Douglas, P. H. (1934). The theory of wages (pp. 279–294). New York: The MacMillan Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ettner, S. L., Frank, R. G., & Kessler, R. C. (1997). The impact of psychiatric disorders on labor market outcomes. ILR Review, 51(1), 64–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frijter, P., Johnston, D. W., & Shields, M. A. (2014). The effect of mental health on employment: Evidence from Australian panel data. Health Economics, 23, 1058–1071.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halla, M., & Zweimuller, M. (2013). The effect of health on earnings: Quasi-experimental evidence from commuting accidents. Labour Economics, 24, 23–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, V. H., Merrigan, P., & Dufresne, E. (1997). Down and out: Estimating the relationship between mental health and unemployment. Health Economics, 6, 397–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, J., Huang, W., Wang, Z., & Zhang, G. (2019). The effect of health on labor supply of rural elderly people in China: An empirical analysis using CHARLS data. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(1195), 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johns, G. (2010). Presenteeism in the workplace: A review and research agenda. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 31(4), 519–542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., & Frank, R. G. (1997). The impact of psychiatric disorders on work loss days. Psychological Medicine, 27(4), 861–873.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Q., Lei, X., & Zhao, Y. (2014). The effect of health on the labor supply of mid-aged and older Chinese. China Economic Quarterly, 13(3), 917–938. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, S. (2008). Impact of health on labor force participation of rural residents. Chinese Rural Economics, 8, 25–33. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, S., & Li, J. (2012). Health, labor force participation and elderly poverty in rural China. Chinese Rural Economics, 1, 56–68. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu, C., Frank, R. G., Liu, Y., & Shen, J. (2009). The impact of mental health on labour market outcomes in China. Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics, 12(3), 157–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu, H. (2017). Impact of farmers’ health on off-farm labor supply. Journal of Agro-Forestry Economics and Management, 16(4), 454–461. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lundbor, P., Nilsson, M., & Vikstrom, J. (2015). Heterogeneity in the impact of health shocks on labor outcomes: Evidence from Swedish workers. Oxford Economic Papers, 67(3), 715–739.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma, X. (2009). Does long working hours cause to the mental health problem? In Y. Higuchi, Y. Seiko, & H. Terayama (Eds.), The dynamic of household behavior in Japan. Tokyo: Keio University Press. (In Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma, X. (2015). Public health care insurance system reform in China. Kyoto: Kyoto University Press. (In Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mincer, J. (1974). Schooling, experience and earning. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogawa, N., & Ermisch, J. F. (1996). Family structure, home time demands, and the employment patterns of Japanese married women. Journal of Labor Economics, 14(4), 677–702.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ojeda, V. D., Frank, R. G., McGuire, T. G., & Gilmer, T. P. (2010). Mental illness, nativity, gender and labor supply. Health Economics, 19(4), 396–421.

    Google Scholar 

  • Otsuka, Y., Sasaki, T., Iwasaki, K., & Mori, I. (2009). Working hours, coping skills, and psychological health in Japanese daytime workers. Industrial Health, 47(1), 22–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pan, J., Qin, X., & Liu, G. (2011). Does body size matter in urban employment? Evidence from China. Nankai Economic Studies, 2, 68–85. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Pelkowski, J. M., & Berger, M. C. (2004). The impact of health on employment, wages, and hours worked over the life cycle. The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, 44(1), 102–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piore, M. J. (1970). Job and training. In S. H. Beer & R. Barringer (Eds.), The state and the poor. Cambridge, MA: Winthrop.

    Google Scholar 

  • Qin, L., Cheng, J., & Pan, J. (2015). Impact of health on labor supply of China’s floating workers. Statistics & Information Forum, 30(3), 103–108. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Qin, L., Qin, X., & Jiang, Z. (2012). Impact of health on off-farm working hours of migrants. Chinese Rural Economics, 8, 38–45. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Qin, L., & Wang, Z. (2015). Impact of health status and related factors on labor market positions of urban mature Chinese. Journal of Labor Research., 36(2), 224–231. (In Chinese).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen, K., Yan, P., & Zeng, Y. (2016). Coresidence with elderly parents and female labor supply in China. Demographic Research, 35, 645–670.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song, J., Lee, G., Kwon, J., Park, J., Choi, H., & Lim, S. (2014). The association between long working hours and self-rated health. Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 26(2), 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, D., & Feng, Z. (2015). Impact of health on non-farm employment in rural China: Efficiency effect and allocation effect: A case from Guannan and Xinyi of Jiangsu province. Issues in Agricultural Economy, 8, 28–34. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Tefft, N. (2012). Mental health and employment: The SAD story. Economics & Human Biology, 10(3), 242–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei, Z. (2004). The role of health on off-farm employment and wage decision. Economic Research Journal, 2, 64–74. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Xie, E. (2011). Impact of health on retirement. World Economics Paper, 1, 109–120. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, Z., Maierdan, T., & Wang, Y. (2015). Impact of health shock on agricultural labor supply of middle-aged and older rural residents’ an empirical study based on CHARLS. China Rural Survey, 3, 24–37. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Y., Li, C., Liu, C., & Peng, S. (2013). The impact of health on work in China: A study using pilot survey data. The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance Issues and Practice, 38(4), 857–870.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xinxin Ma .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Appendix

Appendix

See Table 2.5.

Table 2.5 Descriptive statistics of variables

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Ma, X., Zhang, J. (2021). Health and Employment of the Younger, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults in China. In: Ma, X. (eds) Employment, Retirement and Lifestyle in Aging East Asia. Social Policy and Development Studies in East Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0554-3_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0554-3_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-16-0553-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-16-0554-3

  • eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics