The Impact of Intergenerational Relationship Quality and Co-Residence on the Health Status of Older Adults: An Empirical Study Based on CHARLS Data

With the escalating issue of population aging, the health of older adults has gained increasing attention. While prior research has predominantly examined the impact of resource flows between generations on older adults' health, the roles of intergenerational relationship quality and cohabitation have been relatively overlooked. Using data from CHARLS 2020, this study investigated how intergenerational relationship quality influenced older adults' mental health and functional capacity. Additionally, it incorporated intergenerational cohabitation as a potential moderating factor within the research framework. The results showed that the intergenerational relationship quality served as a protective factor against disability and depressive symptoms in older adults, significantly reducing these risks. Moreover, intergenerational cohabitation moderated the association between intergenerational relationship quality and disability but did not exhibit a significant effect on depressive symptoms. This study provides deeper insights into the association between intergenerational relationships and the health of older adults.