Analysis of the Willingness and Influencing Factors of Mutual Support for Elderly Care among the Rural Group with the Only Child Lost- Taking the Investigation of Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces as an Example

Rural mutual support for the elderly is a new way to support the aged in China, combining this approach with “Lost-Only-Child” family in Sichuan and Shaanxi countryside, this paper focuses on their willingness of participating in mutual support for elderly care. which provides a realistic basis for the successful implementation of mutual support for elderly care among the rural “Lost-only-child” group. The survey and interviews were conducted on 415 “Lost-only-child” individuals and related personnel in 13 towns (streets) in Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces to investigate their willingness to participate in mutual support for elderly care. Logistic regression analysis was conducted on 13 items in three categories with seven aspects (i.e. age, gender, location, monthly family income, choice of mutual support method, choice of mutual support cost, and concerns about mutual support) regarding the basic information, economic status and mutual aid situation of “Lost-only-child” individuals. Result shows that the rural “Lost- only-child “group in Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces generally have a willingness to participate in mutual support for elderly care, which is a trend. However, specific differences such as age, location and monthly family income lead to varying degrees of willingness among “Lost-only-child” individuals regarding the choice of mutual support method, cost sharing and concerns about mutual support. Accordingly, this paper putted forward strategies as: the government should do a good job in the coordination of mutual support for the aged, and speed up the process of mutual support for this groups in the countryside; Accelerate the introduction of detailed new policies and regulations on mutual support for the rural “lost-only-child” group and eliminate the concerns of mutual support for this group; Call on and mobilize various social forces to participate in the mutual support of the group, the government, the bereaved and the society to jointly build and share; Further deepened the trust relationship between the group and the government, and the group should change the concept of elderly care and join the mutual assistance as soon as possible.