Parental preference for boys in childhood and the health of the elderly: Evidence from China.

This study analyzed the relationship between parents' son preference in a person's childhood and their health when they become older, and tested whether childhood educational opportunities, health level, and care resources play mediating roles in this relationship. China has entered a stage of aging population. The health of the elderly determines whether the government can successfully cope with the challenges brought about by the aging of the population. Chinese people are deeply influenced by Confucianism. The concept of "son preference" is related to residents' parenting strategies. Then, if one's parents exhibit a son preference in their childhood, will it affect one's health in old age? Based on the data of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study collected in 2014, this paper uses the least square method to analyze the impact of parents' preference in childhood for boys on the health of the elderly, and uses Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) to analyze the mediating effects of childhood educational opportunities, health level and care resources. This study found that parents' preference for boys had a positive impact on the health of male children when they became elderly but had a negative impact on the health of female children when they became elderly. Childhood educational opportunities, health level, and care resources mediated this relationship. It is necessary to analyze the impact of parents' preference for sons in one's childhood on the health of elderly, and intervene the adverse factors affecting the health, to improve the health level and quality of life of the elderly. • Parents' preference for boys had a significant impact on older people's health. • The effect relies on the mediating role of childhood education, health, and care resources. • The idea of prioritizing boys over girls be changed, to improve the health level of the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]