The Reality and Determinants of Double Care Among Middle-aged Women in China

Abstract

This study empirically analyzes double care in China using large-scale data （CHARLS2018）. It highlights the prevalent pattern of caring for grandchildren while simultaneously supporting elderly parents, starting with childcare needs. Additionally, middle-aged women who are self-employed, farmers, or otherwise able to adjust their time easily bear significant caregiving responsibilities. Furthermore, middle-aged women cannot escape their double care responsibilities even if their offspring work in stable occupations, such as large enterprises or in the public sector. There is a disparity in the social welfare received depending on the household registration system and occupation in the labor market, while the social security systems of pensions and medical care are weak guarantees for the elderly. Double care in China should be interpreted within the context of population movements from rural to urban areas and from small to large cities, the structure of the labor market, and the redistribution of care responsibilities arising from social security and household registration systems. The challenge is to examine double care as a common social risk in East Asia through a social policy study.