Effects of Spousal Education on Mortality among Older Men and Women in China

Ye Luo, Clemson University
Zhenmei Zhang, Michigan State University

This study examines the effects of spousal education on older adults’ mortality risk in China using data from the 2002-2011 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. The results show that both men and women are affected by their spouses' educational attainment. But after taking into account the effect of one's own education, men's mortality risk is significantly affected by their wives' education, but husbands' education does not have much effect on women's mortality risk. In addition, compared to men whose wives have the same level of education as them, men with less educated wives have higher mortality risk and men with more educated wives have lower mortality risk. Further analysis will examine the underlying mechanisms of these relationships.