SUSS Gerontology Research Seminars Series:
Gender, Work, and Leisure among Older Adults in China and India
This talk presents findings from Dr Hu's study that examines how paid and unpaid work affects leisure differently for older men and women in China and India. The study uses data from the World Health Organization’s Study on Global Aging and Health.
In urban China, with higher levels of public welfare and gender equality, represents the best scenario for older adults’ leisure life in developing countries. Although urban Chinese women are disadvantaged relative to urban Chinese men, they still enjoy longer hours of leisure and relaxation than both men and women in rural China and India. Furthermore, the Blinder- Oaxaca decomposition results show gender disparities in unpaid work to be the primary driver of gender inequalities in leisure in all three societies, albeit to varying degrees.
These findings highlight the role of public welfare, gender equality, and the gendered consequences of the family support model in shaping older adults’ leisure life.