Sex ratios and mental health: Evidence from China

Kezhong Zhang, Fan He and Yuanyuan Ma

Economics & Human Biology, 2021, vol. 42, issue C

Abstract: While sex ratios (i.e., relative numbers of men and women) have been linked to various economic and social outcomes, how sex ratios affect mental health is underexplored. Using nationally representative data from the China Family Panel studies (CFPS) and Population Census, we evaluate the impact of sex ratios on mental health among Chinese men and explore potential mechanisms. Employing the instrumental variables (IV) approach where the One-Child Policy’s mandated fertility limits and implementation are used as exogenous variations in local sex ratios, we find that higher local sex ratios increase depressive symptoms and probability of depression among Chinese men. The impact is stronger for men with lower levels of education and living in rural areas. Analyses of potential mechanisms show that higher sex ratios increase the likelihood of marriage delay and unemployment for men, and prolong working hours for the employed men. The findings are of direct relevance to the health and population policy in China.

Keywords: Sex ratios; Mental health; Instrumental variables; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:42:y:2021:i:c:s1570677x21000381

DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2021.101014

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