Gao & Meng (2015): study CN 1998

Publication

Author(s):

Gao, S.; Meng, X.

Title:

The Impact of Government Size on Chinese Elders' Life Satisfaction: 1998-2008

Source:

Filomena Maggino, Ed.: "Social Indicators Research Series 57, A New Research Agenda for Improvements in Quality of Life", Springer International Publishing AG Switzerland, Swiss, 2015, 135 - 161

Investigation

Public

65+ aged, China, followed 10 years, 1998-2008

Survey name

CN-Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity

Sample

Probability multistage stratified area sample

Respondents

N = 50674

Non Response

not reported

Assessment

Interview: face-to-face
N = observarions, not respondents! Many (most?) respondents participated 5 times!

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:

Self report on single question:

How do you rate your life at present?
1  bad or very bad
2  fair
3  good
4  very good

Classification:

O-QOL-c-sq-v-4-b

Author's label:

Life satisfaction

Remarks:

                          T1          T2        T3       T4         T5
%, All               1998    2000    2002    2005    2008
1:   5.02            2,62     3,83       5,82     5,77      5,65   
2. 30.29           21,92   27.00     32.63  32.40   32.83
3. 47.83           55.39   46.55     46.50   46.31  47.31
4. 16.86           20.07   22.61     15.05   15.52  14.22
Mean                2,93     2,88        2,71     2,72    2,70
SD                    0,72     0,80        0,79     0,80    0,78

Mean all waves aggregated: 2,77; SD: 0,79

High level of economic growth in this period.

Page in publication:

138

Observed distribution

Frequencies

1: 5.02%,   2: 30.29%,   3: 47.83%,   4: 16.86%   (total 100%)

Summary Statistics

On original range 1 - 4 On range 0-10

Mean:

2.77 -

SD:

0.79 -

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Household income Household income Urban (residence) Current housing
Rural dwelling (vs urban) Real GDP per capita GDP in region Government medical expenses Social security in region Government Size Size of government in region Capital Formation Rate Economic growth/decline in region Male Sex: male (vs female) Living arrangement, alone, with spouse, child, both, or others Current household-composition
Living alone or not
Living with children
Number of persons in household
Household members
Current living in an institution or not Age (groups) Current age (in years) Etnicity (Han = 1) Ethnic status in China Education Level of school-education White Collar (= 1) Earlier occupation Frequency visits by child or sibling Current personal contacts Chronic conditions score Self-perceived chronic illness ADL-score (Physical limitations) Degree of restriction Previous Happiness Past happiness ( 1 to 10 years ago)