Abstract:

Based on the baseline survey data of CHARLS 2011 in China, this paper established semi-parametric generalized additive model to explore the impact of intergenerational support and health on life satisfaction of the elderly. By comparing the models and hypothesis some results can be obtained, which show that after introducing the nonparametric form of age, physical health and mental health comprehensive score, sleep duration and the housing area to the regression model, the health factors have significant influence on life satisfaction of the elderly. By observing and comparing the partial effect diagram of nonparametric variables and their significance, it is obvious that for the elderly life satisfaction, mental health factor has more significant effect than physical health factor; for intergenerational support of adult children, emotional support has certain effect on improving the elderly life satisfaction.

Key words: intergenerational support, physical and mental health, life satisfaction of the elderly, semi-parametric generalized additive model