Socioeconomic Determinants of Subjective Well-being Among Elderly People in China

China has already transitioned into an aged society, where the proportion of the population aged over sixty years old surpasses one-fifth. This dissertation utilizes the cross-sectional dataset from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) and employs the OLS method for regression analysis to examine the factors that influence the subjective well-being (SWB) of China’s elderly. Subsequently, it conducts a heterogeneity analysis across different genders among the elderly and gets the outcomes. Health emerges as the paramount determinant of SWB for China’s elderly, with economic status as the secondary factor. A high SWB profile for an elderly Chinese male includes being healthy, married, cohabiting with a spouse, having children, residing with family or in a nursing home, possessing sufficient financial support for daily expenses, enjoying a high local economic status, having retirement security and healthcare coverage, and being well-educated. Correspondingly, a high SWB profile for an elderly Chinese female encompasses being healthy, engaging in daily interactions with friends, cohabiting with family, maintaining adequate financial resources for daily needs, holding a high local economic status, possessing retirement security, and having a moderate to good education level. In conclusion, the dissertation offers several practical recommendations. The government should intensify health education and ensure that companies legally procure public old-age insurance and medical insurance for their employees, and, in collaboration with the community, establish social platforms for the elderly.