Search

In this paper, we investigate the heterogeneous treatment effects of retirement on the mental health of older adults using the generalized random forest (GRF) method. GRF has high functional flexibility and can explore complex treatment heterogeneity by selecting covariates from high-dimensional data that contribute to heterogeneity. Results show that retirement significantly reduces the elderly group's depression as well as increases subjective well-being, implying that it will improve mental health. The best linear predictor test suggests that the effect of retirement on depression is heterogeneous among the data for 2014 and 2020 but not in the analysis of well-being. Retirement is more effective in improving depression for males who are at an unhealthy weight, are between the ages of 57 and 67, and have an Internet habit. The results of this paper provide support for promoting the optimization and individualized implementation of relevant policies and improving the lives of the elderly in their later years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the gender disparities and cohort differences in the health trajectories of older Chinese adults. Drawn on a nationally representative dataset from the 2008–2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, this paper uses a growth-curve model to identify the health trajectories of older adults in functional limitations, chronic diseases, depressive symptoms and cognitive skills. Older women are found to have slightly fewer functional limitations than older men at an earlier age; however, this gap is reversed later because of women's higher deterioration rate in physical function. Compared to men, older women have more chronic diseases at younger ages, but this trend is changed after age 90 years due to a faster decline rate in chronic diseases for women. The gender gap in the depressive symptom trajectories narrows with age, whereas the gap in the trajectories of cognitive skills widens. The cohort differences favouring later-born cohorts decrease with age in the trajectory of functional limitations. The latest cohort born in 1940 or after has the fastest increase in chronic diseases and depressive symptoms among all the cohorts. These results are further verified using the random-effect model and pooled ordinary least squares. Policymakers should promote gender equality and reduce cohort differences to achieve the national goal of "Healthy China". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though a continued increase in life expectancy is a significant public health achievement, keeping older adults active and maintaining their well-being is challenging. Active aging requires physical health, mental health, functional independence, economic stability, social participation, and spiritual identification. Among all these factors, social cohesion has significant importance, but there is a dearth of studies focusing on older adults' social cohesion. Thus, the present study focuses on the level of social cohesion among older adults and its variation among the different economic classes. This article uses data from the Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health (SAGE) conducted in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa during 2007–10. Social cohesion scores have been constructed using Item Response Theory Partial Credit Model. Also, bivariate analysis, concentration curves, concentration indices, and multivariate regressions have been used for the analysis presented in this paper. This study confirms the strong predictive power of age, wealth, education, and working status of older adults on their social cohesion across the countries. Higher social non-cohesion is found among the economically poor older adults in Mexico, Russia, India, and China. In contrast, it is just opposite in the case of older adults in South Africa. Governments should develop policies to foster a society with a high level of social inclusion, social capital, and social diversity, to achieve further advancement in social cohesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid demographic change, economic growth, and evolving social norms have put increasing pressure on the traditional system of filial piety and family-based eldercare in China. This paper examines the current role of intergenerational transfers in providing old-age support using nationally representative data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. The analysis explores varied modes of care that exist in rural and urban areas, as well as the role of internal migration in influencing methods of old-age support. The results paint a rich description of the contemporary dynamics between filial obligations and economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today China has the world’s largest older population, defined as aged 65 and over. The size of the older population in the United States is also large, ranking third in the world in 2000. The combined older populations of China and the United States represented 29 percent of the world’s population 65 and older in 2000. The large older populations in these two countries are projected to more than double in size over the next three decades. Although currently China is younger than the United States and many other countries, its aging process will accelerate in the next few decades, with a speed surpassing the experience of many Western European countries and the United States. This paper examines the current and future situation of the older population in China and compares China’s aging with that of the United States, using 2000 and earlier censuses from both countries as well as the population projections data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Growth of the older population, changes in the age distribution in China with comparisons to the United States, and the projections of the older population’s future growth are analyzed and presented. The paper also discusses sources of financial support and living arrangements in China and the United States. Finally, the paper assesses trends in the older population support ratio and the implications for the economic well-being of an aging population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the approaching of the aging of the population in China, the risk of heart disease increases with age. Atrial fibrillation as a common heart disease has seriously affected people's lives and health. A study of atrial fibrillation, dynamic electrocardiogram is usually used to analyze atrial fibrillation. But the accuracy of this analytical method may be artificially disturbed, which causes errors in the process of data analysis. Therefore, the computation analysis is carried by combining the automatic detection algorithm. By using the calculation of computer algorithm, the accuracy of data analysis of dynamic electrocardiogram can be increased. And through the test of automatic detection algorithm, the effectiveness of the algorithm can be found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to explore the mechanism of the online "spiritual solidarity" group for older adults who have lost their only child (shidu parents) in contemporary China. By examining a unique aging model of older adult Chinese who lost their only child, this study conducted an online survey in the "spiritual solidarity" group of the shidu parents through an ethnographic approach by interviews, questionnaires, participatory observation, and other methods. The findings can improve the "spiritually drawn together to old" process for the shidu parents to improve their quality of life and relieve their psychological stress. As a new pension model, the spiritual group takes a virtual information platform as the carrier to break through the limitations of regional activities, meet the various needs of the shidu parent, and provide them with an outlet for emotional energy. Understanding the mechanism of spiritual solidarity is of help to the shidu parents in obtaining spiritual comfort. It is also valuable for safeguarding their rights and interests to improve their quality of life on the spiritual and material levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a growing ageing population, productive ageing in China must evolve with the new social and historical context. This paper summarizes the development of the concept of productive ageing in Chinese history and its components. By referring to other related concepts such as social participation among older adults and active ageing, it supplements the conceptual framework of productive ageing and makes it more complete. This paper proposes that the conceptual framework of productive ageing includes not only the social and political participation of older adults but also their contributions within families. It asserts that older adults are the most important part of productive ageing, as both the agents and the beneficiaries, in achieving the ultimate goal of harmonious development of individual and social values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults around the world provide care and support for their family, relatives, and friends. This not only generates immense economic and social value, but is also an important aspect of productive aging. This paper analyzes data from the 2005 Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS), the 2008 Chinese Residents' Time Use Survey, and a study conducted by the author (Sun Popul J 4:14-18, ). In rural China, because the young labor force works in cities, a large number of 'left-behind children' live with their grandparents. Such cross-generational families made up over a quarter of rural households in 2005. In the cross-generational family, the role and value of caregiving for grandchildren by elderly grandparents has been strengthened, as has the burden of care placed upon them. Based on an analysis of the policies and practices of productive aging, this paper seeks to raise awareness of the enormous caregiving contributions made by older adults. Collecting information on older adult caregiving will help inform a policy framework to provide professional and systematic support, so that family and social care systems can operate effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have gotten different results as to whether processing speed can explain the aging of cognitive functions. Experimental analyses are needed to develop further evidence. To explore the relationship between speed and working memory in cognitive aging, processing speed intervention is conducted in the present study. Utilizing paper-pencil training, computer training, and a control group, 78 adults aged 58-83 years from Beijing participated in a speed intervention study. After 5 weeks of training, there were substantial training gains on two speed tests in two training groups, but no transfer effect on working memory was found. Discussion: The results fail to support the view that processing speed is a foundation of working memory for aging. The aging of working memory may depend more on an executive attention component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reflects on the meaning of aging in China by reviewing issues of population change centering on the baby boomer generation. Family structure, living arrangements, and long-term care needs of the aged as well as societal responses are re-visited under the general public policy framework of an “economic state in transition.” The development of income support, health care, and personal social services for the elderly is examined by reviewing the 2006 government White Paper and the research literature. Employment, education, and lifestyle issues are further investigated under the United Nations policy framework on active aging. Policy, practical, and theoretical issues in achieving the country’s articulated goals are discussed. Adequate preparation for aging is emphasized by considering the roles of individuals, families, practitioners, and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elderly population in China has grown since 1999. Many Chinese businesses have noticed this trend and began to focus on the Gray Market. The behavior of older Chinese consumers has significantly changed. Descriptions of their behavior in previous research need to be updated. This paper uses data from a survey conducted by the authors in China to investigate the current behavior of older consumers. Results show that older Chinese consumers (1) have similar consumption needs as younger adults; (2) display more mature consumption attitudes; (3) play a less important role in the family; and (4) have strong desire for compensatory consumption. These findings call for further research into the behavior of older Chinese consumers as a major marketing focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China initiated its family planning policy in 1962 and its one-child policy in 1980, and it allowed all couples to have two children as of 1 January 2016. This paper systematically examines the labor market consequences of China's family planning policies. First, we briefly review the historical evolution of China's family planning policies and the existing literature. Second, we investigate the effects of these policies on the labor market, focusing on the size and quality of the working-age population and its age and gender composition. We give special attention to regional differences in the demographic structure resulting from the interaction of the family planning policies and internal migration. Finally, we discuss ongoing and prospective policy changes and their potential consequences. Although urban areas and coastal provinces have implemented stricter family planning policies, our analysis shows that because of internal migration, the aging problem is more severe in rural areas and in inland provinces. Our simulation results further indicate that the new two-child policy might fall short of pulling China out of its aging situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of China's population lives in rural areas and a pattern is emerging of very uneven provision of support for rural elderly people. Local economic conditions and broad demographic trends are creating diversity in the ability both of rural families to care for their elderly kin and in the capacity of communities to support their elderly residents and family carers. In part as a consequence of China's population policy and the 'one-child policy', future Chinese families will have fewer members and be 'older', but they will continue to be regarded emotionally and in policy as the main source of economic and social support for the elderly. The increasing involvement of women in the paid workforce and the changing geographical distribution of family members resulting from work-related migration, are reducing the ability of families to care for their elderly relatives. The availability of resources other than the family for the care of older persons therefore becomes a key issue. Communities in more prosperous, modernising rural areas are often able to provide their elderly residents with welfare and social benefits previously found almost exclusively in urban areas. However, in poorly developed rural areas, provision is either very patchy or non-existent and the local economy cannot support expansion or improvement. A case study in Zhejiang Province illustrates the favourable provision for ageing in a prosperous modernising rural community, in which entitled elderly residents are provided with an impressive array of financial and social benefits. The paper concludes with a consideration of the policy implications of the growing differentiation of the social and economic capacity of rural communities to support their elderly members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China, a society long characterized by traditional Confucianism and the practice of filial piety, is undergoing dramatic socioeconomic development and erosion of traditions. In this rapidly changing context, the motives behind rural parental bequests have not been well studied. This paper draws on a survey conducted in rural Anhui province of China and uses hierarchical linear models to examine whether three kinds of support from children are associated with older parents' bequest motives. We find that while instrumental support accords with an exchange model of motivation, financial transfer is consistent with an altruistic motivation for parental bequest plans. Offspring gender is strongly associated with parental planning of bequests; family division is a strong correlate of parents' bequest plan and reflects exchange motivation. These findings have important implications for research on traditional culture and an evolving social security system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how adult children's expressed filial piety, receipt of help from parents, socioeconomic resources, and parents' needs are associated with the likelihood of parent-child coresidence in contemporary China. Drawing on the 2002 wave of the Chinese Survey of Family Dynamics and the 2002 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, we used logistic regression to analyze correlates of coresidence with parents of 3,938 married adult children, aged 35 to 65. Results show that the stronger the filial piety expressed by adult children, the higher their likelihood of coresiding with their parents. Married adult children are also more likely to coreside with elderly parents who have provided intensive grandchild care and financial support or with those who need financial, physical, and emotional support. However, adult children who own homes are significantly less likely to live with their parents than are those who do not. These findings suggest that coresidence in contemporary China is influenced not only by parents' needs but also by children's values, socioeconomic resources, and past receipt of parental help. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long-term nursing home (NH) care helps NH residents with their daily activities and improves their quality of life, but negatively affects their independent physical activities and increases the risk of dangerous events. Dangerous events in the elderly usually occur in the conversion of walking periods when forward striding has already happened, but the body has not yet entered a completely steady walking. Objectives: Compare the gait characteristics in Chinese long-term NH residents and community-living elderly during the walking Transitional Period (TP) and Stabilization Period (SP). Methods: 32 long-term NH residents and 33 age- and sex-matched community-living elderly were recruited. The 30-Second Chair Stand Test (30-s CST), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), and Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES) were used to assess their body function. The Xsens MVN BIOMECH system was used to collect and analyze the gait parameters of participants. Results: Compared to community-living elderly, NH residents had fewer numbers of 30-s CST, took more time to complete TUGT, and lower MEFS scores. NH residents showed slower gait speed (P < 0.001), less peak hip flexion (P = 0.022) and extension (P = 0.003), knee internal rotation (P = 0.023), and ankle plantarflexion (P = 0.001) and internal rotation (P = 0.007) angles during walking. When walking progressed from TP to SP, NH residents showed increased ankle dorsiflexion (P < 0.001), decreased hip internal rotation (P < 0.001), and community-living elderly had increased hip extension (P = 0.005) angles. Conclusions: Chinese long-term NH residents had reduced lower extremities strength and postural balance, and higher fear of falling compared to community-living elderly. Their walking performance also showed high fall risk. Besides, long-term NH residents adopted a distal strategy to propel the body forward, which may be a compensatory measure to compensate for inadequate proximal joint control from forward walking to stable walking, and long-term NH residents have reduced postural stability during this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has explored age-related and cultural differences in moral evaluations of dishonesty; however, this has not yet been examined in an aging context. The present study provided a novel account of how younger and older adults (in Canada, Singapore, and China; N = 401) morally evaluate adults' truths and lies in antisocial, modesty, and politeness settings. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing how acceptable it is for adults to tell the truth or a lie in given social scenarios, and they reported on their levels of collectivism and individualism. In all countries, older adults provided more favorable evaluations to blunt and immodest truths than younger adults did. Compared with younger adults, older adults provided harsher evaluations to Polite Lies (in Canada and China) and Modesty Lies (in Canada and Singapore). Thus, there may be an age-related increase in the acceptability of direct honesty over good-intentioned lies, and this age effect is somewhat stable across cultures. Older adults were also more lenient in evaluations of an antisocial lie to conceal an affair compared to younger adults. Overall, adults in China tended to rate lies less negatively, and their greater levels of collectivism mediated their greater approval of polite lies. The present results demonstrate that evaluations of (dis)honesty differ as a function of age and culture and these results can assist in developing a more complete lifespan model of the morality of dishonesty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

lthough many studies look at the relationship between living arrangement and health among older adults, very little research takes seniors' preferred living arrangements into account. This paper uses data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) to examine what factors are associated with concordance between actual and preferred living arrangements for both institutionalized and community-residing Chinese seniors, and to investigate associations between living arrangement concordance and self-rated health. Our analyses show that economic independence is negatively associated with living arrangement concordance among institutionalized older adults (net of other factors), while being older, female, minority ethnicity, having higher SES, and being unmarried are positively associated with living arrangement concordance among communityresiding seniors. For both institutionalized and community-residing older adults, living arrangement concordance increases the likelihood of rating self-rated health as good, with concordance having a greater impact on health for institutionalized elders (odds-ratios of 1.67-1.93) than for communityresiding elders (odds-ratios of 1.12). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large number of missing females in China, a consequence of gender discrimination, is having and will continue to have a profound effect on the country's population development. In this paper, we analyze the causes of this gender discrimination in terms of institutions, culture and, economy, and suggest public policies that might help eliminate gender discrimination. Using a population simulation model, we study the effect of public policies on the sex ratio at birth and excess female child mortality, and the effect of gender discrimination on China's population development. We find that gender discrimination will decrease China's population size, number of births, and working age population, accelerate population aging and exacerbate the male marriage squeeze. These results provide theoretical support for suggesting that the government enact and implement public policies aimed at eliminating gender discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on assistance that externally-resident daughters provide for their aging parents in rural Tibet, China, to challenge the notion that rapid modernization invariably threatens family-based care systems for the elderly. The authors discuss social and economic changes associated with modernization that have created new opportunities for parents to send daughters out of their natal households in ways that can benefit them in old age. By investing in a daughter's education so she can secure salaried employment, or by helping a daughter establish a small business so she can earn an independent livelihood, the authors demonstrate how some externally-resident daughters represent a novel form of social capital that parents can draw on for social support. Daughters with income and freedom from extended family obligations are now providing elderly parents with (1) leverage against co-resident children who do not treat them well, (2) temporary places of refuge from ill-treatment at home, (3) caretaking services and financial support when they require hospitalization, and (4) financial resources independent of their household which they can use to pursue age-appropriate activities like pilgrimage. The authors conclude that this new form of social capital vested in externallyresident daughters is having a positive impact on the lives of the elderly in rural Tibet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a stochastic population forecast for China with a special emphasis on population ageing. The so-called scaled model for error was used to quantify the uncertainty attached to the population predictions. Data scarcity was a major problem in the specification of the expected error of the population forecast. Therefore, the error structures estimated for European countries were used with some modifications, taking into account the large size and heterogeneity of the Chinese population. The stochastic forecast confirms the expectation of extremely rapid population ageing during the first half of the twenty-first century in China. The old age dependency ratio (OADR) will certainly increase. Simply maintaining the current demographic rates (no international migration) would drive the OADR to 0.42 in 2060, four times the current level. Including expected declines in mortality and net outmigration in the projection would increase the median OADR in 2060 to 0.59, with a 80% prediction interval of [0.47, 0.75]. In particular, the oldest-old population will grow much faster than any other age group. This development has major implications for policy-making in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encouraging farmers to adopt biopesticides is a crucial strategy for protecting the ecological environment and achieving sustainable agricultural development. This study utilizes data from a micro-survey of 454 banana farmers from Hainan Province of China and employs a logit model to analyze the effects of aging, land fragmentation, and their interactions on farmers' adoption of biopesticides, as well as the heterogeneity of farmers in different household life cycles. The findings reveal that aging and land fragmentation both hinder biopesticide adoption, with farmers experiencing higher levels of aging and more fragmented land holdings being less likely to utilize biopesticides in banana production. Mechanism analysis uncovers an interaction effect between aging and land fragmentation that hampers biopesticide adoption. Furthermore, the effects of aging, land fragmentation, and their interaction on biopesticide adoption behavior vary across farmers in different family life cycles. Specifically, aging negatively affects biopesticide adoption behavior for farmers in support households, while land fragmentation negatively influences farmers in dependency and burden households. The interaction between aging and land fragmentation adversely affects farmers in burden households. Our findings highlight the importance of aging agricultural labor and land fragmentation to promote green agriculture in China and call for more relevant policies to encourage farmers with different household life cycles to adopt biopesticides in farming practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on ethnographic research conducted in two nursing homes in China, this article examines how institutional eldercare reshapes the expectations and practices of filial piety. It finds that families accept institutional care as a solution to the elderly care deficit. They expect a new division of care between labor and love, assigned to paid care workers and family members, respectively. This ideal of care division is rooted in the "intimate turn" in Chinese family life. Nevertheless, many family members go beyond this care division and remain deeply involved in nursing homes. On the one hand, adult children take on the responsibility to manage surrogate caretakers to improve the quality of care. On the other hand, they continue to provide personal care and companionship. Sharing family time is made the highest priority, especially in the face of impending death. This study goes beyond the binary division between commercial care and family care and sheds light on the transformation of filial piety in the commodification of eldercare in contemporary China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Excessive accumulation of adipose tissue may accelerate brain aging, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Several adiposity indices were proposed to assess obesity, while their linkage with brain health in older adults remained unclear. Here we aimed to examine the associations of adiposity indices with global and regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) in older adults, while considering insulin resistance. Design: This was a cross-sectional population-based study that included older adults derived from the baseline participants in the ongoing Multimodal Interventions to Delay Dementia and Disability in rural China (MIND-China) study. Setting And Participants: The study included 103 Chinese rural-dwelling older adults (age≥60 years; 69.9% women) who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging scans. Methods: We estimated eight adiposity indices based on anthropometric measures. We automatically quantified global and regional CBF using the arterial spin labeling scans. Insulin resistance was assessed using the triglyceride-glucose index and then dichotomized into high and low levels according to the median. Data were analyzed using general linear model and voxel-wise analysis. Results: Of the eight examined adiposity indices, only higher waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and body roundness index (BRI) were associated with reduced global CBF (multivariable-adjusted β-coefficients and 95%CI: −1.76; −3.25, −0.27 and −1.77; −3.25, −0.30, respectively) and hypoperfusion in bilateral middle temporal gyri, angular gyri and superior temporal gyri, left middle cingulum and precuneus (P<0.05). There were statistical interactions of WHtR and BRI with levels of insulin resistance on CBF, such that the significant associations of higher WHtR and BRI with lower global and regional CBF existed only in people with high insulin resistance (P<0.05). Conclusion: Higher WHtR and BRI are associated with cerebral hypoperfusion in older adults, especially in people with high insulin resistance. This may highlight the pathological role of visceral fat in vascular brain aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study which reveals how the 'one-child policy' of Chinese Government changes the condition of an aging society, radically modified the structure of the population, and created eldercare a more difficult task. It also mentions increase in the suicide rates among older people in China and Chinese governmental expenditures on healthcare.

With the increase of the ageing in the world's population, the ageing and degeneration studies of physiological characteristics in human skin, bones, and muscles become important topics. Research on the ageing of bones, especially the skull, are paid much attention in recent years. In this study, a novel deep learning method representing the ageing-related dynamic attention (ARDA) is proposed. The proposed method can quantitatively display the ageing salience of the bones and their change patterns with age on lateral cephalometric radiographs images (LCR) images containing the craniofacial and cervical spine. An age estimation-based deep learning model based on 14142 LCR images from 4 to 40 years old individuals is trained to extract ageing-related features, and based on these features the ageing salience maps are generated by the Grad-CAM method. All ageing salience maps with the same age are merged as an ARDA map corresponding to that age. Ageing salience maps show that ARDA is mainly concentrated in three regions in LCR images: the teeth, craniofacial, and cervical spine regions. Furthermore, the dynamic distribution of ARDA at different ages and instances in LCR images is quantitatively analyzed. The experimental results on 3014 cases show that ARDA can accurately reflect the development and degeneration patterns in LCR images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companion animals have recently been proposed as ideal translational models of human aging due to their shared susceptibility for certain diseases, similar environments, and sophisticated veterinary medicine diagnostics, all of which are not possible in rodent laboratory models. Here, we introduce and propose the study of companion animals in China as a largely untapped resource in academic and veterinary aging research. Pet ownership rates along with economic gains in the pet industry have skyrocketed over the last decade in China. Yet, the majority of research institutions still focus on agricultural animal research, not companion animals. In this perspective, we compare available pet ownership rates between the USA, the European Union, and China before focusing on the potential of companion animal aging research in China. In addition, we highlight some ethical considerations that must be addressed before large-scale companion animal aging research can be completed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freeze–thaw cycles, aging, and freeze–thaw cycles superimposed aging test on high-damping rubber bearings (HDR) were performed to study the durability of HDR for sea-crossing bridges in northern coastal areas. The change laws of horizontal mechanical properties of HDR under different tests were revealed. After freeze–thaw cycles, the equivalent damping ratio and yield force of HDR decreased, the post-yield stiffness increased slightly, but the horizontal equivalent stiffness wasn't change; The ultimate shear force and displacement of HDR abated. Under aging test, horizontal equivalent stiffness and post-yield stiffness increased significantly, and the change of its yield force could be ignored, while the equivalent damping ratio decreased. The horizontal equivalent stiffness and post-yield stiffness of HDR increased; however, the equivalent damping ratio and yield force decreased after the freeze–thaw cycles superimposed aging test. Besides, experimental results indicated considering freeze–thaw cycles or aging alone cannot accurately estimate the change of HDR's performances in the actual environment. This study is likely to provide a whole life cycle design and evaluation basis for coastal seismically isolated bridges with HDR in the cold regions of northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has experienced an increasing number of "drifting elderly" (elderly inter-province migrants because of non-employment reasons) due to urbanization and aging. Living in different environments, the elderly are susceptible to mental health problems. Thus we explore the well-being of the drifting elderly under the Chinese cultural context. According to the grounded theory approach, a qualitative study with 54 elderly inter-provincial migrant samples was conducted in Shanghai. Drawing from the "cognition, affection, and conation" theory and the migration theory, we built a framework for the drifting elderly's well-being, including the impact factors (motivation, adaption pressure, and personality), well-being status (subjective well-being, psychological well-being, and social well-being), and consequences (future plan). Implications and future research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a long-lasting debate about whether urban settings are beneficial to the health of rural-to-urban migrants. Research in some low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has documented that exposure to urban life negatively impacts their health, especially in terms of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and attributed the association to health-related behaviors. However, it is unclear if such patterns exist in China, the biggest LMIC and home to 19% of the world population. Meanwhile, given the severe population aging trend, previous research lacks focus on rural-to-urban migrants of older age groups. In addition, different extents of urban life exposure among migrants are either ignored or indirectly measured, and the mediating effects of health behavioral factors have not been quantified. Using data from 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this study examined three major NCD risk factors, hypertension, general obesity, and abdominal obesity, among older adults (45 +) with different residential types (N = 11,126). Employing logistic regression models and mediation analysis, I find that rural-to-urban migrants have significantly higher odds of having all three NCD risk factors than rural dwellers, and have similar risk profiles as urban residents. Among rural-to-urban migrants, years lived in cities significantly and cumulatively predict hypertension. However, health-related behaviors, including tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and physical activity, only account for a small proportion of the differences between rural-to-urban migrants and rural dwellers, implying other pathways through which urban settings shape older rural-to-urban migrants' health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) are small circularized DNA elements produced during rearrangement of T cell receptor (TCR) genes. Because TRECs are fairly stable, do not replicate during mitosis, and are not diluted during division of naïve T cells (Dion et al. [1]), they are suitable for assessing the number of newly formed T cells (Ping and Denise [2]). In this study, we detected TRECs in 521 healthy Chinese children aged 0–18 years in different clinical settings. The TRECs decrease with aging and show lower levels in preterm and low birth weight (BW) babies compared to those in full-term infants, while the preterm babies can also show comparable levels of TRECs when they have a gestation age (GA)–matched BW. We found a strong correlation between TRECs and peripheral CD4 naïve T cell numbers, which was age-related. We also analyzed the TRECs in different PIDs. Since T cell defects vary in PIDs, TREC levels change inconsistently. For example, in Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS), combining the level of TREC with lymphocyte subsets can help to distinguish subtypes of disease. Conclusion: We established the reference value range for TRECs by evaluating children below 18 years old in China, which could be used to screen for PIDs during early life. What is Known: • The TREC levels are decreased with age, and there is a positive correlation between TRECs and the numbers of naïve T cells. What is New: • This is the largest study to determine TREC reference levels in healthy Chinese pediatric, we provide solid data showing a correlation between CD4 naïve T cell counts and TREC levels according to age. We point out the GA matched BW is need to be considered during the SCID newborn screening. We are the first group showed that TREC levels can help clinician distinguish different WAS phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the diversity and the convergence of demographic transitions into consideration, it is hypothesized that population aging that occurs in developed countries and developing countries will reflect diversity, but will also show some convergence. In order to test this hypothesis, the present study compares the population aging experiences of China (1971-2050) and Canada (1911-2050) and places them within the context of the demographic transition. In this paper we learn how, as population ages, these two countries will, through two distinct pathways, arrive at similar age structures by the middle of the 21st century. Both the diversity and the convergence of population aging are shown in this comparative study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence of the association between marital status and cognitive function in Chinese older adults is limited. Aims: To examine the relationship between marital status and cognitive function and to explore the role of gender amongst older adults from three Chinese communities. Methods: A total of 1376 participants aged 60 years or over were included in this cross-sectional study. Cognitive function was assessed using the Chinese version of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Marital status and other variables were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine associations between marital statuses and cognitive function amongst the target population. The moderating role of gender in these potential associations has also been explored. Results: In univariate linear regression models, compared to being married, both being widowed (β [95% CI]: −1.46[−2.78 to − 0.13]) and being single (β [95% CI]: − 4.88[−6.43 to − 3.38]) were associated with lower MMSE scores. After adjustment for confounding factors, the significant association of being widowed with MMSE scores disappeared (β [95% CI: − 0.08[− 1.04 to 0.86]), but the association of being single with MMSE scores still existed (β [95% CI]: − 1.87[− 3.17 to − 0.58]). Furthermore, the association of being single with MMSE scores was statistically significant in men (β [95% CI]: − 5.25[− 7.17 to − 3.33]) but not in women (β [95% CI: 0.88[− 0.87 to 2.64]). Discussion and conclusions: Being single was associated with poorer cognitive function compared with their married counterparts in older Chinese men but not in women. More preventive measurements should be implemented for single men to reduce or delay cognitive decline. This is particularly important in the context of an aging population in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Sarcopenia is a condition associated with progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and function resulting in substantial negative health outcomes and disability in older adults. It is thus important that sarcopenia-related risk factors be explored. The present study was based upon the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia 2019 (AWGS2019) criteria to assess whether vitamin D levels are a risk factor associated with sarcopenia in various ethnic groups in western China. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Communities in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Xinjiang provinces. Participants: We included 4236 individuals that were 50 years of age or older from the West China Health and Aging Trend (WCHAT) study. Measurements: An InBody 770 instrument was used for bioimpedance-based analyses of muscle mass, while a digital grip strength dynamometer was used for handgrip strength-based measurements of muscle strength. Physical performance was assessed based upon gait speed over 4 m. Other secondary variables were additionally analyzed as potentially relevant risk factors. Results: Sarcopenia affected an estimated 22.45% of studied individuals who were 50 years of age or older, with respective prevalence rates in the < 60, 60–64, 65–79, and ≥80 age groups of 11.78%, 19.44%, 32.65%, and 67.97%. Rates in males and females were 26.66% and 20.05%, respectively. In males, a significant difference in vitamin D levels was detected when comparing individuals with and without sarcopenia, although no such relationship was detected in females. Following adjustment for confounding variables, binary logistic regression analyses revealed that inadequate vitamin D was able to independently predict sarcopenia risk only in males (OR=1.875,95%CI: 1.109–3.169, P=0.019). Conclusions: Among middle-aged and older adults of multiple ethnicities in western China, we found that inadequate vitamin D was an independent predictor of sarcopenia risk specifically in males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the introduction of the New Rural Social Pension Scheme (NRSPS), pension coverage in rural China has increased substantially during the last decade. We investigate how the new public pension benefits influence intergenerational transfers and subjective well-being of older adults in rural China using panel data from the 2011 and 2013 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The results of our first-difference regression models show that receiving a public pension goes along with an increase in intergenerational financial support and has a positive impact on the subjective well-being of older adults in rural China. Our analysis represents one of the first studies examining the effects of the introduction of the NRSPS from a longitudinal perspective. The results demonstrate that public pension benefits as a form of institutional financial support are beneficial to the well-being of older adults, while they do not hinder intergenerational exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The West China Health and Aging Trends study (WCHAT) is intended to focus on the research that will guide efforts to reduce disability, maximize health and independent functioning, and enhance quality of life at older ages in different ethnicities. And provide the basis for understanding trends and dynamics in late-life functioning, how these differ in various ethnic subgroups, and the economic or social consequences of aging and disability in western China. Participants: The cohort enrolled 7536 participants and 7439 participants aged 50 years and older in the baseline in 2018 and every year would be followed up. Finding to date: The data in WCHAT were prospectively collected from Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Xinjiang by 7 medical institutions. A number of age-related outcome measures were collected though corresponding geriatric assessments. Blood testing, saliva, urine and feces testing are available for all cohort participants. Future plans: The data in WCHAT can be used for various types of epidemiological research, particularly for examining how the culture specific life styles and diet influences geriatrics related outcomes. We are initially planning cohort studies and established a sample biobank in relation to the risk and prognosis of frailty, sarcopenia and other geriatric syndromes. Strengths and limitations of this study: It is a first multi-ethnic cohort study in West China that aimed to investigate the influence of culture specific life styles, diet and living environment on the prevalence of geriatric syndromes like frailty, sarcopenia and so on. This is a prospective multi-center observational study, which will be conducted in various ethnic groups gathering places. This study collected information that related to fatigue, falls, and cognition were obtained through self-reports, which might have recall bias and grouping errors. This study has problems such as the interviewees' refusal to visit, death, going out, and large population mobility may lead to high loss of visit rates. This study collected information from a comparatively healthier elderly population in which external validity was limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Frailty is a state of decreased resilience when a person is exposed to an apparently innocuous stressor that is associated with numerous adverse outcomes. The aim is to examine frailty prevalence in China by demographic and investigate the correlation between frailty and outcome. Design: Cohort study. Setting: Community-dwelling adults from 28 Chinese provinces. Methods: The participants were 2,273 adults aged ≥65 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Frailty was scored on the FRAIL scale. We estimated frailty prevalence in the overall sample. The association of frailty with adverse outcomes was evaluated by multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results: We found that 17.0% of adults aged ≥65 years were frail. Frail individuals had a higher prevalence of comorbidities, falls, and need for medical care than non-frail individuals. The multinomial logistic regression analysis demonstrated that frail status (OR = 2.061, 95% CI: 1.422–2.985) and pre-frail status (OR = 1.540, 95% CI: 1.135–2.089) were associated with falls in the previous two years. Serious falls in the previous two years were related to pre-frailty (OR = 1.815, 95% CI: 1.153–2.859) and frailty (OR = 2.797, 95% CI: 1.655–4.727). In addition, frail individuals were found to be at higher risk for outpatient visits over the previous month (OR = 2.091, 95% CI: 1.502–2.911) and readmission over the previous year (OR = 2.033, 95% CI: 1.480–2.792) in the analysis. Conclusions: Pre-frailty and frailty were positively associated with major adverse outcomes, including falls and serious falls; they were also associated with more frequent outpatient visits and readmissions in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adjustments to the allocation of aboveground biomass allocation are an important component of the adaptive strategies of plant growth. Plants can modify their biomass allocation patterns to adapt to various environmental conditions. Sandy areas vary widely in topography, generating a diversity of microenvironments. However, knowledge about biomass allocation patterns of shrubs in different microtopographic areas in sandy habitats remains limited. Moreover, most studies have not considered the effect of age on plant biomass allocation responses to habitat differences. In August 2017, we measured the age, height, ground-level diameter, and leaf and stem matter of Salix psammophila, a species that overwhelmingly dominates a wide range of habitats in China. Biomass allocation patterns (leaf vs. stem biomass, biomass vs. diameter) were compared between two sandy vegetation environments in an area of the Mu Us Sandy Land. The results indicated that the rate of biomass accumulation decreased with age and, as shoots aged, they tended to allocate more biomass to stems, which provide support and transport functions, than to leaves (assimilatory organs). Soil moisture was the main environmental factor influencing the allocation strategy of S. psammophila. Favorable moisture habitats increased the overall biomass accumulation rate by promoting the allocation of biomass to leaf tissue. Habitat and age had an interactive effect on biomass accumulation and allocation, and larger plants were more likely to suffer from resource limitation. This study contributes to a better understanding of the life-history strategies of shrubs under frequently changing sandy conditions, which can contribute to efforts in vegetation recovery management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has shown that in high-income countries, investing in children's education could be an effective strategy to improve parental health in older age. However, little is known about whether this pattern exists in China, a rapidly aging context with strong filial piety traditions and a weak public support system for older adults. Using longitudinal data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we used Cox proportional hazards and multinomial logistic regression models to investigate changes in both mortality and subjective health (self-reported health) outcomes. We assessed the association separately by parental gender. Having college-educated children was associated with a 31% decline in the hazard of parental death (adj. HR 0.69, p <.05). The odds of parents with children who completed secondary education maintaining good health was 1.80 times that of the parents whose children completed primary education or less (OR 1.80, p <.001). We found no gender difference among parents with respect to the association between children's educational attainment and parental health. Children's education might be a prominent factor in magnifying existing health disparities among Chinese older adults. We urge policymakers to consider the multigenerational advantages of expanding educational opportunities in China for not only college but also secondary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As China continues to age rapidly, whether the country should adjust the official retirement age, and if so, when and how, are currently major policy concerns. We examine the impact of postponing the retirement age on the human capital of China in the next four decades. Two critical aspects of human capital—health and education—are incorporated to account for the quality of the work force. Our projections reveal the impact of nine scenarios on the Chinese labor force in the next few decades, highlighting the changes in "the high human capital workforce"—those with good health and education. We show substantial impact with added work force ranging from 28 to 92 million per year depending on which scenarios are implemented. Furthermore, the retained workers are increasingly better educated. The gain in female workers is particularly significant, reaping the benefits of the education expansion since the 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aging is an acknowledged risk factor for most chronic diseases and functional impairments. The practicability of potential biomarkers of aging remains unsure. Moreover, biomarkers related to certain geriatric diseases, such as carotid atherosclerosis and multiple co-morbidities are less understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the definite relationship between metabolic biomarkers and aging-related diseases.Methods: Eighty-five male adults aged fifty years or older from the general population were enrolled. Plasma metabolic biomarkers, including fourteen amino acids and thirty-six acylcarnitines, were measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Bivariate correlation analysis was employed to estimate the correlations between variables and age, and also to evaluate the relationship between metabolic biomarkers and aging-related diseases. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was conducted to judge the diagnostic efficiency of potential metabolic biomarkers for co-morbidities.Results: Certain metabolic biomarkers were strongly positively correlated with age, such as tetradecenoylcarnitine (C14:1), microalbumin-urine creatinine ratio (UACR), dodecenoylcarnitine (C12:1) and citrulline (p < 0.001). Carotid atherosclerosis and co-morbidities were positively correlated with aging (p < 0.001). After adjustment for age, hydroxytetradecanoylcarnitine (C14OH) remained positively correlated with carotid plague area. Besides, citrulline had diagnostic power for co-morbidities.Conclusions: Citrulline may be a promising metabolic biomarker in the middle-aged and elderly men. Larger-scale and long-term studies are needed to confirm our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article analyzes the causal effects of informal care, mental health, and physical health on falls and other accidents (e.g., traffic accidents) among elderly people. We also examine if there are heterogeneous impacts on elderly of different gender, urban status, and past accident history.Methods: To purge potential reversal causal effects, e.g., past accidents induce more future informal care, we use two-stage least squares to identify the impacts. We use longitudinal data from a representative national China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study of people aged 45 and older in China. A total of 3935 respondents with two-wave data are included in our study. Each respondent is interviewed to measure health status and report their accident history. Mental health is assessed using CES-D questions.Results: Our findings indicate that while informal care decreased the occurrence of accidents, poor health conditions increase the occurrence of accidents. We also find heterogeneous impacts on the occurrence of accidents, varying by gender, urban status, and past accident history.Conclusions: Our findings suggest the following three policy implications. First, policy makers who aim to decrease accidents should take informal care of elders into account. Second, ease of birth policy and postponed retirement policy are urgently needed to meet the demands of informal care. Third, medical policies should attach great importance not only to physical health but also mental health of elderly parents especially for older people with accident history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Revealing the relationship between mobility impairment and life satisfaction can help to propose effective interventions to secure mobility and life satisfaction. However, the relationship remains unclear and lacks quantitative evidence in China. This study therefore assesses the association of mobility impairment, social engagement, and life satisfaction among the older population in China.Methods: Based on the sample of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey database in 2013, a structural equation modeling is established. The sample size is 4245 with 55.9% with mobility impairment.Results: The model shows that the length of suffering from disability is significantly related to mobility impairment (β = 0.058, p < 0.001). Mobility impairment is inversely related to social engagement (β = -0.300, p < 0.001) and life satisfaction (β = -0.311, p < 0.001). Social engagement is positively related to life satisfaction (β = 0.211, p < 0.001). Moreover, the relationships have some differences for the seniors with different sociodemographic characteristics and living in different residential areas.Conclusions: As seniors get older, they tend to have more severe mobility impairment and participate less in social activities. Those with higher mobility impairment are more likely to report lower life satisfaction partly because they usually participate less in social activities. Different strategies are suggested to be adopted to improve the life satisfaction of the older population from the aspects of promoting mobility and social engagement, including improving the design of transport facilitates, providing assistive facilities for the seniors with severe mobility impairment, promoting the accessibility of community leisure and healthcare services, and constructing more community senior activity centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful ageing is often defined as a later life with less disease and disease-related disability, high level of cognitive and physical functions, and an active life style. Few studies have compared successful ageing across different societies in a non-Western social context. This study aims to compare prevalence and correlates of successful ageing between China and South Korea. The data come from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) and the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA). A total of 19,346 community-dwelling elders over 65 years were included, 15,191 from China and 4,155 from Korea. A multidimensional construct of successful ageing was used, with the criteria of no major comorbidity, being free of disability, good mental health, engaging in social or productive activity, and satisfaction on life. Correlates of successful ageing included demographics (gender, age, and rural/urban residence), socioeconomic features (financial status, education, and spouse accompany), and health behaviours (smoking, alcohol-drinking, and exercising). The results showed that 18.6 % of the older adults in China was successful agers, which was less than 25.2 % in Korea. When gender and age were adjusted, older adults were 51 % less likely to be successful agers in China than Korea ( p < 0.001). The association patterns between successful ageing and its correlates are similar between China and Korea. However, before the socioeconomic variables are under control, rural residence was negatively related to successful ageing in China, whereas this is not the case in Korea. And the gender gap of successful ageing was mostly explained by socioeconomic features and health behaviours in Korea, but not in China. In both countries, good financial condition was highly associated with successful ageing. The study suggests that advancement of public health system could better control progression of non-communicable diseases among old people and thus promote successful ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Objectives: Specific diets or lifestyles have an impact on cognitive function in previous studies. However, the association of the complex action of Chinese daily diets and lifestyle patterns with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among elderly people had not been studied exactly. The aim of this study was to explore the association of dietary and lifestyle patterns with MCI among elderly people in Beijing. Design: Population-based and case-control design. Setting: The physical examination center in Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University in Beijing. Participants: A total of 404 subjects, aged 60 years old or above, with or without MCI. Measurements: The Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) was used to screen the subjects with MCI. All subjects were required to complete a questionnaire which was comprised of their demographic information, health status, lifestyles, and food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Binary multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the potential association between MCI and these factors. Results: With adjustment for some factors,higher daily intake of eggs (OR, 0.975,95% CI, 0.959-0.992, P=.003) and marine products (OR, 0.96, 95% CI, 0.943-0.979, P=.000), longer time of watching TV (OR, 0.763, 95% CI, 0.628-0.928, P=.007), reading (OR, 0.540, 95% CI, 0.379-0.769, P=.001) and physical exercise (OR, 0.382, 95% CI, 0.185-0.789) had significantly decreased odds of suffering from MCI compared with the control group. Conclusions: Our findings suggested that daily higher intake of eggs and marine products,watching TV, reading and physical exercise were associated with preventing the development of MCI in this population-based samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging population is set to increase in the near future, and will need specialized care when admitted to ICUs. The elderly are beset with chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular, COPD, diabetes, renal complications and depression. Specialist opinions can now be made available through telemedicine facilities. Tele-ICU is a specialized hub consisting of highly skilled staff trained in critical care able to deliver timely, quality care service to patients admitted to ICUs in remote areas using highly advanced information technology services. These specialists in the tele-ICU hub are able to analyze and gather data arriving at timely interventional management decisions and provide this vital feedback to the nursing staff and doctors manning remote ICU locations where specialized intensivist may not be available. Known clinical benefits of such a system include better patient outcomes, reduced medical errors, mortality and reduced hospital length of stay. The main disadvantage in implementation could be the upfront high cost involved, for which low-cost models are being explored. In the face of delivering such remote care, it is up to the local health policy to make legislative changes to include associated legal and ethical issues. Considering the burgeoning aging population, tele-ICU could become the way forward in delivering geriatric critical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the living situation of elderly people in rural China whose children have left to work in other areas [the 'left behind' elderly (LBE)] and explores policy implications associated with their care. Based on survey data and interviews conducted in three villages in Jiangxi Province, China, we compare the living situation of the LBE and the 'non-left behind' elderly (NLBE). The data reveal that the LBE are relatively more isolated and that they spend less time interacting with neighbors and more time watching television. The study shows that the LBE have a much greater need for care services than income maintenance. Also, the LBE group has less social capital than the NLBE group. Based on our findings, it is clear that the proposal to use social capital and informal care cannot effectively meet all the needs of the LBE group. Instead, it is recommended that a comprehensive system of social support is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2030, 22% of Hong Kong's total population will be aged 60 or older. Unfortunately, the Hong Kong Government still views ageing within the context of 'disengagement theory', and discussions of 'Active Ageing' remain scarce in Hong Kong. In order to define and advocate Active Ageing in our local context, and to urge the Government to plan comprehensively for the ageing society, we conducted a research (from 2007 to 2009) on the life patterns of active older people. Our objectives were to discover: (1) how active older people organized their everyday lives; and (2) how the urban environment enabled older people to maintain a quality lifestyle. Invited to semi-structured interviews, 50 informants had responded to a set of questions about their everyday life patterns. They also commented freely on the quality of their lives and the city's degree of age-friendliness. We tried to categorize and analyze the daily life patterns of our informants according to the themes established by the Quality of Life model established by Gabriel and Bowling Ageing and Society, 24(5), 675-691 () and that of Raphael et al. Health & Place, 7, 179-196. (). With the findings, we construct a schematic summary of 'Active Ageing' for the local context. We conclude that older people, when in good health and possessing sufficient resources, strive for a quality life filled with possibilities. Our research aims to help enact a 'paradigm shift' that goes beyond the disengagement theory, while establishing a context planning for the coming of the ageing society in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses a group-based modeling approach to jointly estimate disability and mortality trajectories over time based on data from the population aged 80 and older in China, and explores relations of demographic, socioeconomic, and early-life characteristics to membership in gender-specific trajectory groups. A three-group model best fits the data for both males and females. For most groups, predicted numbers of limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) increase with age, but the pace is gradual in some cases and rapid in others. For each gender, the estimated mortality probability trajectories for the three groups follow a hierarchy that is related to the predicted ADL counts at age 80. Only a few characteristics predict trajectory-group membership. Prior nonagricultural occupation is associated with less favorable disability trajectories for both genders. For females, rural residence, a greater number of children ever born, and having a father who did not work in agriculture are associated with more favorable trajectories. For a small group of males who received education, disability is moderate but changes little with age. Findings may reflect heterogeneity of survival among the least advantaged, as well as a possible expansion of morbidity among a small advantaged group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]