Intergenerational Educational Mobility and Self-Rated Health Among Chinese Older Adults: The Mediating Role of Children’s Financial Support and Social Networks

Background The relationship between intergenerational educational mobility and older adults’ health remains underexplored. Objective To investigate the link between intergenerational educational mobility and self-rated health among Chinese older adults, and to explore the mediation of children’s financial support and social networks. Methods We analyzed four waves (2014-2020) of longitudinal data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS) (13,033 observations) using individual growth models and generalized structural equation modeling. Results Compared with the low educational stability group, both upward mobility and high educational stability were associated with better self-rated health among older adults. Children’s financial support and older adults’ social networks partially mediated these associations. Downward mobility was only indirectly associated with health through social networks.