Mortality of Chinese Female Oldest Old: Does It Differ among Support Patterns & Living Arrangements?

Tianji Cai, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Qiong Zhou, University of California, Los Angeles

In this paper, we explore the relationship between support pattern and living arrangement, and mortality of Chinese female oldest old, most of whom is old, weak and ill, hence vulnerable. Using data from Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) in 1998, we collect the data of died female oldest old by tracing the respondents in 2000 and 2002 surveys, respective. Then, we analyze and discuss the mortality of female oldest old by using correspondence analysis and COX model. The results reveal that the mortality of female oldest old differs among support patterns and living arrangements net of age. However, the differentials can not be explained by the covariants, including demographic, physiologic, psychological and social factors, holding support patterns and living arrangements constant, which means support patterns and living arrangements are playing crucial role in the mortality of the Chinese female oldest old.