The life experiences of Chinese women after late-life remarriage
Abstract Background Although late-life remarriage is not a rare phenomenon, it remains a controversial topic in China. Late-life remarriage involves many challenges and crises, especially for elderly women, who are often in weaker positions in remarriage relationships and face more difficulties. Cur...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Women's Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03665-8 |
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| author | Qiong Li Jianyuan Huang Jiayun Liu Pei Zhao |
| author_facet | Qiong Li Jianyuan Huang Jiayun Liu Pei Zhao |
| author_sort | Qiong Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Although late-life remarriage is not a rare phenomenon, it remains a controversial topic in China. Late-life remarriage involves many challenges and crises, especially for elderly women, who are often in weaker positions in remarriage relationships and face more difficulties. Currently, research on the life experiences of Chinese women after late-life remarriage is still limited. The purpose of this study is to explore and describe the life experiences of Chinese women who remarried later in life and to explore and describe their feelings about these experiences. Methods A phenomenological qualitative research design involving in-depth semistructured interviews was selected. Data analysis was performed via Colaizzi's methodology. Results Sixteen women participated in this study. Four themes and 8 subthemes emerged: (1) companionship and support attainment (daily companionship and economic support), (2) nanny-like treatment (undertaking most household chores and care work alone, suspected and guarded in terms of money), (3) degradation of social ties (decreased interaction with the original family, reduced contact with friends), and (4) concerns about the future (treatment costs after illness, housing issues after their new husband's death). Conclusion Our results reveal the complexity and vulnerability of the life experiences of Chinese women after late-life remarriage, which are the result of a combination of sociocultural and structural factors and reflect the pressure and injustice that women endure in a patriarchal society. Moreover, the study reveals the inadequacy of basic medical insurance and basic pension insurance systems. The results of this study will not only help society at large better understand the life experiences of Chinese women in stepfamilies after late-life remarriage but also help to provide numerous important recommendations for professionals who provide support to stepfamilies, as well as for policymakers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3a1a2bd9f42647b49c6fcf08e45b1f77 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-6874 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Women's Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-3a1a2bd9f42647b49c6fcf08e45b1f772025-08-20T03:41:40ZengBMCBMC Women's Health1472-68742025-03-0125111910.1186/s12905-025-03665-8The life experiences of Chinese women after late-life remarriageQiong Li0Jianyuan Huang1Jiayun Liu2Pei Zhao3School of Public Administration, Hohai UniversitySchool of Public Administration, Hohai UniversitySchool of Public Administration, Hohai UniversityJiangsu Province HospitalAbstract Background Although late-life remarriage is not a rare phenomenon, it remains a controversial topic in China. Late-life remarriage involves many challenges and crises, especially for elderly women, who are often in weaker positions in remarriage relationships and face more difficulties. Currently, research on the life experiences of Chinese women after late-life remarriage is still limited. The purpose of this study is to explore and describe the life experiences of Chinese women who remarried later in life and to explore and describe their feelings about these experiences. Methods A phenomenological qualitative research design involving in-depth semistructured interviews was selected. Data analysis was performed via Colaizzi's methodology. Results Sixteen women participated in this study. Four themes and 8 subthemes emerged: (1) companionship and support attainment (daily companionship and economic support), (2) nanny-like treatment (undertaking most household chores and care work alone, suspected and guarded in terms of money), (3) degradation of social ties (decreased interaction with the original family, reduced contact with friends), and (4) concerns about the future (treatment costs after illness, housing issues after their new husband's death). Conclusion Our results reveal the complexity and vulnerability of the life experiences of Chinese women after late-life remarriage, which are the result of a combination of sociocultural and structural factors and reflect the pressure and injustice that women endure in a patriarchal society. Moreover, the study reveals the inadequacy of basic medical insurance and basic pension insurance systems. The results of this study will not only help society at large better understand the life experiences of Chinese women in stepfamilies after late-life remarriage but also help to provide numerous important recommendations for professionals who provide support to stepfamilies, as well as for policymakers.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03665-8Chinese womenElderly individuals Late-life remarriageFamilyLife experiences |
| spellingShingle | Qiong Li Jianyuan Huang Jiayun Liu Pei Zhao The life experiences of Chinese women after late-life remarriage BMC Women's Health Chinese women Elderly individuals Late-life remarriage Family Life experiences |
| title | The life experiences of Chinese women after late-life remarriage |
| title_full | The life experiences of Chinese women after late-life remarriage |
| title_fullStr | The life experiences of Chinese women after late-life remarriage |
| title_full_unstemmed | The life experiences of Chinese women after late-life remarriage |
| title_short | The life experiences of Chinese women after late-life remarriage |
| title_sort | life experiences of chinese women after late life remarriage |
| topic | Chinese women Elderly individuals Late-life remarriage Family Life experiences |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03665-8 |
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