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Retirement Spillover Effects on Spousal Health in Urban China

Author

Listed:
  • Shenglong Liu

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Yuanyuan Wan

    (University of Toronto)

  • Xiaoming Zhang

    (Tsinghua University)

Abstract

This paper empirically studies the causal effect of retirement on spouses’ subjective health for the elderly in urban China. We find that women’s retirement positively affects their husbands, while husbands’ retirement tends to affect wives negatively. The difference in post-retirement healthy (and unhealthy) behaviors and emotions between men and women can explain gender asymmetry. Men tend to have a negative state of mind and unhealthy habits and behaviors more than women, which results in the negative spillover effect. We also estimate the marginal threshold treatment effect (MTTE), showing that a small delay of statutory retirement age is beneficial for improving overall subjective health, yet the conclusion would actually be the opposite if the spillover effect were to be ignored. These results provide useful references for the current discussion on retirement policy reform in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Shenglong Liu & Yuanyuan Wan & Xiaoming Zhang, 2024. "Retirement Spillover Effects on Spousal Health in Urban China," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 756-783, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jfamec:v:45:y:2024:i:3:d:10.1007_s10834-023-09935-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10834-023-09935-7
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Retirement; Spillover effect; Marginal threshold treatment effect; Subjective health; Regression discontinuity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models

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