School of Public Administration and Emergency Management, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Institute of Common Prosperity and National Governance, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
School of Public Administration and Emergency Management, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
Econ Hum Biol. 2023 Aug;50:101281. doi: 10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101281. Epub 2023 Jul 20.
Using the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) from 2008 to 2018 accompanied by the growth curve model, we examined the association between early socioeconomic status, social mobility, and divergent cognitive trajectories in later life within a society undergoing significant transformation. The study confirmed a positive relationship between socioeconomic status in early life and cognitive ability in later life. However, socioeconomic status in adulthood is associated with better cognitive ability in old age compared to that in childhood. Meanwhile, upward social mobility mitigates the negative correlation between socioeconomic disadvantage in early life and cognitive ability in later life. In addition, the inequality in socioeconomic status at earlier stages resulted in heterogeneous cognitive trajectories, with the double cumulative disadvantage effect resulting from education being particularly noteworthy. Thus, Chinese health policy should focus on the earlier stages of life, actively promoting inclusive family policies and improving the family's role in protecting childhood from an adverse environment. Simultaneously, education and employment fairness should be strengthened to accelerate social mobility and enhance the "Health Repair Mechanism" of the second life course.
利用 2008 年至 2018 年的中国纵向健康长寿调查（CLHLS）和增长曲线模型，我们在一个经历重大转型的社会中，检验了早期社会经济地位、社会流动与晚年不同认知轨迹之间的关系。研究证实了早期生活中的社会经济地位与晚年认知能力之间存在正相关关系。然而，与童年时期相比，成年期的社会经济地位与老年时更好的认知能力相关。同时，向上的社会流动减轻了早期生活中社会经济劣势与晚年认知能力之间的负相关关系。此外，早期阶段社会经济地位的不平等导致了认知轨迹的异质性，其中教育带来的双重累积劣势效应尤为值得关注。因此，中国的健康政策应关注生命早期阶段，积极推行包容性家庭政策，并改善家庭在保护儿童免受不利环境影响方面的作用。同时，应加强教育和就业公平，以加速社会流动，并增强第二生命历程的“健康修复机制”。
