Abstract: In China, the scale of the rural left-behind elderly is expanding, but their health situation is not optimistic. We need to improve the health status of this group to avoid the old poverty, poverty due to illness and poverty reinstatement due to illness. In order to investigate the mechanism of relationships between health status and its determinations among the rural left-behind elderly, a questionnaire survey was conducted among elderly people left-behind in rural area of Shandong Province. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling to show the structural relationship between them. The results showed that socioeconomic status not only had direct impacts on health status, but also affected health status by community health service level. The related factors were showed different effects on health, including direct effect and indirect effect. Therefore, by forming a joint force of self, family, community and government, we can enhance basic social provision, avoid the risk factors of health in order to improve the health status of rural left-behind elderly.

Key words: rural left-behind elderly, health assessment, related factors, structural equation modeling