Anticipated support from children and later-life health in the United States and China

•Anticipated support from children is related to better overall and mental health.•Anticipated support from others is similar to that from children in the U.S.•Anticipated support only from others is similar to that from no one in China.

Past research has shown that anticipated support, the belief that someone will provide support if needed, benefits health. Few studies considered whether the relationship between anticipated support and health depends on the source of such support. This project addresses this gap and examines how anticipated support from children is related to older parents' health and whether such support can be replaced by anticipated support from other relatives and friends. Ordered logit and negative binomial regression models with lagged health outcomes were estimated using nationally representative data from the 2010 and 2012 Health and Retirement Study and the 2011 and 2013 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Results suggest that anticipated support from children is related to older parents' better self-rated health and fewer depressive symptoms in both countries. In the U.S. where filial norms are relatively weak, anticipated support from others is no less important for health than anticipated support from children. However, in China where filial norms are relatively strong, parents anticipating support only from others are no different in health from those anticipating support from no one.