The impact of resource-exhausted city transformation policies on elderly self-rated health: evidence from China

This study examines the health effects of China’s resource-exhausted city transformation policies on older adults’ self-rated health. Using panel data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) spanning 2011–2020, we exploit the 2012 designation of resource-exhausted cities as a quasi-natural experiment. A difference-in-differences (DID) framework is used to identify the policy’s causal impact. The results show that the policy significantly improves self-rated health among older adults. The effect is stronger for unmarried individuals, those receiving Social Security, and women. These findings highlight the policy’s important role in promoting health equity for older people and supporting people-centred, sustainable urban development.