Later Life Mortality Consequences of Co-Residence with Grandparents: Evidence from Northeast China, 1749-1909

Xiaolu Zang, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

This study investigates the effect of co-residence with grandparents in early life on mortality risks in adulthood and older ages in Northeast China, from 1749 to 1909. To date, few studies have examined the impact of co-residence with grandparents in early life on later life health outcomes. We find that co-residence with grandparents increased mortality risks in childhood, but reduced them later in life, even after introduction of fixed effects to account for common effects of unobserved characteristics. An important implication of these results is that in extended families, patterns of co-residence in childhood may have long-term consequences for health and mortality, independent of common environmental and genetic factors.