Mental health under gender imbalance: evidence from bachelors in urban China
Zongyao Yang, Ying Zhou, Yongyi Fu
Archives of Public Health, Vol. 84, Issue 1 (2026)
10.1186/s13690-026-01861-y
PMID: 41772718
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Gender imbalance in marriage markets places severe pressure on bachelors. Although prior studies link skewed sex ratios to health outcomes, causal evidence on mental health in urban contexts remains limited. This study examines how local sex ratios influence mental health outcomes among bachelors in urban China. METHODS: Using data from the 2012, 2016, and 2018 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), we analyze single men aged 16-60 years living in urban areas. Depressive symptoms are measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Analyses employ two-way fixed-effects models, with Heckman selection correction and instrumental variable methods. Subgroup analyses assess heterogeneity by age, wealth, and education, while mechanism analyses explore underlying pathways. RESULTS: Higher local sex ratios worsen bachelors' mental health and exacerbate health disparities. A 0.1-point increase in the sex ratio, equivalent to 10 additional men per 100 women, raises CES-D scores by 3 percentage points and increases the probability of depression by 0.4 percentage points. The effects are strongest among older men and those with lower wealth or education. Mechanism analyses identify delayed marriage and declining socioeconomic status resulting from mating pressure as the primary channels. CONCLUSIONS: Gender imbalances in marriage markets have significant and unequal mental health consequences for urban bachelors. Addressing skewed sex ratios and socioeconomic vulnerabilities is essential to reduce these disparities.
Topics
Field: Psychology · Subfield: Social Psychology
Keywords
Mental health,Socioeconomic status,Public health,China,Health services research,Social policy,Marital status,Health policy
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Gender equality (0.72)
All Available Versions
- Landing page — Archives of Public Health publishedVersion cc-by-nc-nd
- Landing page — PubMed publishedVersion
- PDF Landing page — PubMed Central submittedVersion cc-by-nc-nd
- Landing page — DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) submittedVersion cc-by-sa
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