Effects of Family Structure on Health Status of the Elderly

• Main Authors: Cheng-Lun Liu, 劉政倫
• Other Authors: Chen, Shih-Neng
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/17987586330097406576

碩士 === 世新大學 === 經濟學研究所(含碩專班) === 100 === Following by the development and change of society in Taiwan, the problems of "Aging Population" and "Low Birth Rate" are getting worse. Due to many influences caused by these social problems, the trend of change is especially important in the simplification of family structure. Besides, the strong competition of the society increases the number of the double-income families. It also reallocates resources and responsibilities within the family. For example, the way of caring elders by females in the family was changed and declined nowadays. Those changes all will affect health of elders in the family, and what's important is that health is a critical asset to all people. Empirical data are based on the year of 1989, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2007 Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan. We investigate the effect of family structure on health of the elderly. The full sample is used and it also divided by gender and age between 50 and 65 and above 65 years of age. Empirical model used is ordered probit model with random effect. The dependent variable is health and the independent variables are family structure, social capital, and personal characteristics. Empirical results show that, family structures have significant effect on the health for male elders, controlling all other factors relevant to health. However, female elders have indirect and less effect of family structure on their health as females are probably more aware of their health. Besides, the effect of family structure for both male and female are greater than that of social capital. Thus, family structure is crucial to health of the elderly. One more crucial finding is that, age has vital effect on male elders. When they getting older, health condition is getting worse and family structure affects it profoundly.