Authors
Qing Su, Keshan Liu
Published in
Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation. Volume 35. Issue 10. Oct 04, 2026. Epub Oct 04, 2026.
Abstract
Given the profound impact of adverse life events on later-life health, this study examined how the occurrence, timing, and number of child losses were associated with trajectories of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among middle-aged and older adults in China. It further explored potential mediating mechanisms and heterogeneity by gender and residence.
Using data from four waves (2011-2018) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this study included 13,161 individuals. HRQoL was assessed using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Linear mixed models were used to estimate longitudinal HRQoL trajectories, and the Karlson-Holm-Breen method was applied to examine potential mediating pathways.
Bereaved parents exhibited lower HRQoL than non-bereaved parents. The association between child loss and HRQoL varied by the timing of the loss and followed a dose-response pattern. Mediation analyses identified intergenerational support and social engagement as potential pathways. Moreover, mothers experienced a steeper decline in HRQoL over time than fathers following child loss.
These findings suggest that child loss has a persistent and graded negative association with HRQoL, with important variation by timing and gender. The results highlight the need for targeted support and interventions to mitigate long-term health consequences among bereaved older adults.
PMID:
42829898
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 05 Oct 2026.
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