Profiles of time and income poverty: A person-centered examination of health and well-being outcomes using large-scale survey data

The relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and time poverty remains poorly understood, particularly how financial and temporal resources jointly shape outcomes. Drawing on data from 9830 participants in the 2020 China Family Panel Studies, this study used latent profile analysis to identify SES-time usage profiles and examine differences in health and well-being outcomes. Four distinct subgroups emerged: Low Income-Short Working Hours (Income Poverty, 12.0%), Middle Income-Long Working Hours (Time Poverty, 41.7%), Low Income-Long Working Hours (Double Poverty, 4.5%), and High Income-Appropriate Working Hours (Balance, 41.9%). Results revealed systematic differences across profiles. The Balance group consistently exhibited optimal outcomes across almost all measured domains, while the Double Poverty group demonstrated the worst. Notably, temporal scarcity may be more detrimental to well-being than financial resources for individuals who have overcome absolute economic poverty. These findings clarify the interplay between socioeconomic resources and time allocation, providing evidence for targeted interventions to enhance well-being.