关键词: 老年人, 平均预期寿命, 空巢预期寿命, 多状态生命表

Abstract:      The past two decades have witnessed substantial growth in the elderly population living in empty- nest families in China， with lengthening years they spent in empty- nest status．However， studies of the empty- nest life expectancy of elderly in China are rare．Using data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHAR LS) 2011 to 2013 and multi- state life table method， this research produces estimates of the life expectancy of older people aged over 60 and their empty- nest life expectancy， and examines the differentials according to gender， residence and educational level， both population- based and state- based． The results show that， elderly in China spend over a half of their remaining life in empty- nest status; female elderly and the elderly in rural areas have higher empty- nest life expectancy than their counterparts respectively; and the higher the level of education of the elderly， the longer their empty- nest life expectancy． Initial living arrangements of the elderly have major impact on their empty- nest life expectancy． These results apparently have important policy implications．

Keywords: Chinese Elderly , Life Expectancy ,  Empty- Nest Life Expectancy ,  Multi- State Life Table