A Study On The Impact Of Children’s Education Level On The Health Of Middle-Aged And Elderly Parents

China is currently facing the challenge of rapid aging,and the health issues of the middle-aged and elderly population have attracted widespread attention from the entire society.According to expert research,children’s education level has a significant impact on their parents’ health,so exploring the impact of children’s education level on the health of middle-aged and elderly parents and its mechanisms has important practical significance for formulating relevant policies.Using the 2018 China Health and Elderly Care Tracking Survey(CHARLS)data,this study conducts empirical analysis using regression models and structural equation models to explore the relationship between children’s educational level and the health level of middle-aged and elderly parents.Based on the model,it conducts a mediator effect test and a difference analysis to comprehensively evaluate the relationship and its impact.The main research findings of this study are as follows: Firstly,the regression model results show that(1)children’s education level has a significant positive direct impact on the self-rated health,physical health,and depression levels of middle-aged and elderly parents(P<0.05,model coefficients Exp(B)are 1.031,1.028,and 1.026,respectively),but has no significant impact on life satisfaction(P=0.880).(2)In addition to the direct impact,children’s education level also has a significant indirect impact on the health status of parents through factors such as residence time and children’s income.(3)The impact of children’s education level on parental health varies by urban-rural differences and parental gender.Furthermore,this study uses a structural equation model to explore the underlying mechanisms of the impact of children’s education on the health of middle-aged and elderly parents,and finds that children’s education level affects the health behavior of parents through intergenerational links,thereby affecting the health status of parents.Specifically,(1)Children with higher education levels have closer intergenerational links with their parents,which are important mediating mechanisms that contribute to improving the health status of parents.(2)Good health behaviors of parents(such as sleep,smoking,and drinking)are more conducive to improving their mental health,while the frequency of exercise is more conducive to improving their physical health.(3)Parental gender and place of residence have significant moderating effects on the structural equation model established in this study.Based on these findings,this study discusses the importance of children’s education for the health of middle-aged and elderly parents,and provides reference for the formulation of policies for the health and care of the elderly.Therefore,it provides new ideas and perspectives for this field,and has innovative and significant implications.