The Alleviating Effect of the Pension Insurance System on the Health of the Elderly When the Spouse Suffers from Major Chronic Diseases

Saiwai Yu ()
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Saiwai Yu: Lingnan College, Sun Yat-sen University

A chapter in Proceedings of the 2025 International Conference on Hybrid Commerce, Human Capital, and Economic Dynamics (ICHCH 2025), 2026, pp 761-769 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract China has entered a deeply aging society, and the high incidence of chronic diseases poses a serious challenge to the health of the elderly group, especially through the burden of care within the family and economic pressure. Based on the data of the China Health and Pension Tracking Survey (CHARLS) from 2011 to 2020, this paper uses a double difference model to analyze the alleviating effect of pension insurance on the impact of major chronic diseases (stroke, heart disease, etc.) on the health of the elderly by using a double difference model. The results show that the spouse’s major chronic illness significantly reduces the mental health of the elderly, worsens depressive symptoms, and slightly affects their ability to perform activities of daily living and cognitive function. Pension insurance can effectively buffer this health shock, especially the most significant protective effect on mental health. The mechanism analysis shows that pension insurance mainly plays a role by providing stable economic sources, reducing the pressure of medical expenditure, and reducing the burden of care. The findings of this paper provide an important basis for improving the pension insurance system and formulating targeted health support policies, which are of positive significance for improving the health level of the elderly.

Keywords: Pension Insurance; Chronic Disease; Health Shock; Aging; Double Difference Method (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.2991/978-2-38476-585-0_86

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