Previous studies have shown that in many countries that have implemented social pension policies to ensure a stable income for the elderly, this contributes to improvements in their health. However, there has been limited research on whether the enrollment in a social pension by a spouse also impacts one's health. Therefore, this study adopts the framework of interdependence theory to explore for the effects of the New Rural Pension Scheme (NRPS) on health and well-being as well as its "partner effect"-the impact of a spouse's NRPS enrollment on an individual's health. The study applied data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), using a difference-in-differences (DID) approach, to estimate the health impacts of the NRPS on the elderly. To estimate the partner effect and address the endogeneity problem, the study used instrumental variable estimation, constructing a treatment group based on spousal enrollment in the NRPS. After controlling for socio-economic variables, the study found that the implementation of the NRPS has led to improvements in the health status of the rural elderly. Specifically, individuals enrolled in the NRPS reported better health outcomes compared to their non-enrolled counterparts. Regarding the partner effect of the NRPS, the study finds that having a partner with pension income has an impact on men's depressive symptoms.
Keywords: health of the elderly, partner effects, instrumental variable, difference-in-differences, New Rural Pension Scheme

With Taiwan on the verge of becoming a society with population of advanced age, healthcare utilization in Taiwan has been increasing. The present study has compared access to care, healthcare utilization, and patient satisfaction with the healthcare system in Taiwan as it has evolved from 2011 to 2021. Guided by the Andersen Model of Healthcare Utilization this study analyzed data from the health module of the Taiwan Social Change Surveys for 2011 and 2021 utilizing multivariate logit regression, and thus estimated marginal effects of selected predisposing factors (demographics), enabling factors (social-economic status), and needs factors (health status) on various access, utilization, and satisfaction outcomes in both years. The study results showed that, over the past ten years, likelihood of delayed care decreased, traditional medicine use decreased, self-pay physical examination use increased (though not significantly), and hospitalization rates remained relatively stable. Results also showed that satisfaction with Western medical care, hospitalization, and traditional medicine have generally increased from 2011 to 2021. Most demographic and social-economic factors were associated with access and primary care utilization outcomes, with their effects varying between 2011 and 2021. Urbanization had an opposite effect on accessibility in 2021 compared to 2011. Demographic and social-economic factors were associated with traditional medicine use and self-pay physical examination utilization. In 2011, hospitalization was associated with age, urbanization, and household income, but their marginal effects were no longer significant in 2021. Satisfaction outcomes were associated with education level. While access, utilization, and satisfaction generally improved during the past decade, social-economic factors are still important determinants of some of those outcomes. Identifying the vulnerable population and addressing their specific needs should be the policy priority in the next ten years.
Keywords: demographic and social-economic factors, access to care, healthcare utilization, satisfaction with the healthcare system, health disparity

The paper explores the identity recognition, specifically examining whether female Mainland spouses perceive themselves as insiders (or "Taiwanese") in the post-pandemic period. In Taiwan, female Mainland spouses are the largest group of new immigrants. However, experiences of social exclusion and patriarchal interference have contributed to their developing a negative sense of place. Previous studies have often overlooked how place identity impacts the survival strategies of Mainland spouses. To address this gap, the study focuses on a rural township in central Taiwan and draws on in-depth interviews with 13 respondents to investigate the lived experiences of female Mainland spouses who have migrated to Taiwan. It analyzes dimensions such as daily life and social interactions to explore how their sense of place evolved before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and how this shift affected their national and place-based identities. This helps us to recognize the changes in their survival strategies. The research finds that the survival strategies of female Mainland spouses has shifted from "compromising herself" to "becoming more easygoing" after experiencing the pandemic. These shifts in strategy reflect deeper changes in their sense of place and identity. Through their long-term engagement with place practices and participation in affective politics, most female Mainland spouses now identify as "insiders" and express hope for the resumption of cross-Strait flights. Furthermore, they seek equality and peace, aiming to participate more harmoniously within Taiwanese society.
Keywords: female mainland spouses, post-COVID, anti-China, sense of place, identity