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The long-run and intergenerational impact of early exposure to the Great Chinese Famine of 1959–61 on mental health

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  • Tan, Chih Ming
  • Zhang, Xiaobo
  • Zhang, Xin

Abstract

We study the effects of early exposure to the Great Chinese Famine on the mental health and subjective well-being of survivors as well as their offspring using data from the 2010 and 2014 waves of the China Family Panel Studies. Our analysis focuses on K6 scores, severe mental illness, and life dissatisfaction. We find that early exposure to the famine has impaired the mental health outcomes of women, but not men (i.e., the first generation). For the second generation, negative effects only show up among the sons of male famine survivors. Some preliminary evidence suggests that the mechanism for such transmission may have to do with the cultural son preference.

Suggested Citation

  • Tan, Chih Ming & Zhang, Xiaobo & Zhang, Xin, 2025. "The long-run and intergenerational impact of early exposure to the Great Chinese Famine of 1959–61 on mental health," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:56:y:2025:i:c:s1570677x24001138
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2024.101461
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Great Chinese Famine; Mental health; Subjective well-being; Intergenerational impact; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • N35 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Asia including Middle East

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