Socioeconomic status, childbearing and health as determinants of aging concerns across the life course in China: a cross-sectional study

Background In the current era of population aging, everyone should be well-prepared and maintain a positive attitude towards aging. However, it remains unclear how socioeconomic status, health and childbearing shape aging concerns among Chinese adults of different age groups. This study examined whether these factors can alleviate aging concerns among young, middle-aged and older people.Methods This study utilized data from the Chinese General Social Survey of 2021, which employed multistage stratified sampling to ensure representativeness and included 2,717 respondents. Aging concerns were measured using a five-point Likert scale, and hierarchical regression models were applied to assess the effects of key variables.Results Middle-aged individuals reported the highest level of aging concerns (M = 3.46), compared to young (M = 3.34) and older individuals (M = 3.34). Respondents who perceived themselves as healthier expressed fewer concerns about aging in all age groups (β = −.242 to −.165, P <.001). Among older adults, higher household income (β = −.077, P = .032) and having at least one daughter (β = −.072, P = .047) were related to lower aging concerns, whereas socioeconomic and childbearing factors showed limited effects among the young and middle-aged.Conclusions Health status is the strongest predictor of aging concerns across various age groups. For older adults, economic security and having at least one daughter are also associated with lower aging concerns. Tailored interventions, such as financial planning, health promotion and family support policies, are necessary and recommended to address aging anxieties across different age groups.