To improve education among the rural population, the PRC government implemented several strategies. They constructed new schools, launched adult education programs to combat illiteracy, and trained and deployed teachers to remote areas. The focus was on practical education that could directly contribute to agricultural productivity and local industry. Political education was also a key aspect, aiming to align the populace with the Communist Party's values. However, resources and qualified teachers were scarce, and the quality of education varied greatly. Despite these hurdles, these initiatives laid the foundation for the eventual development of rural education.

The Cultural Revolution, beginning in 1966, had a profound impact on the healthcare system established in the 1950s. While the period saw the promotion of healthcare access with initiatives like the Barefoot Doctors, it also led to the disruption of medical education and the healthcare system. Many medical professionals were denounced or sent to rural areas to "re-educate," resulting in a brain drain in urban hospitals. However, the movement did contribute to the spread of basic healthcare in rural areas and highlighted the importance of preventive medicine and community-based healthcare, which was in line with the egalitarian ideals of the Cultural Revolution.

Propaganda played a central role in the social reforms of the 1950s and 1960s in China. It was used to promote the government's agenda, including the push for gender equality, the importance of sanitation for public health, and the new socialist education curriculum. Propaganda posters, films, and literature depicted idealised images of workers, peasants, soldiers, and educated citizens, all working towards the common goal of building a new socialist China. Propaganda also aimed to mobilise the population in support of campaigns such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, although these campaigns ultimately had mixed results.

During the 1950s, China faced major health concerns including widespread infectious diseases such as cholera, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted diseases. Malnutrition and poor sanitation also contributed to significant health challenges. The government addressed these through the establishment of a nationalised health service, large-scale sanitation projects, mass vaccination programmes, and the promotion of traditional Chinese medicine alongside Western medical practices. The eradication campaigns against specific diseases, like the successful fight against schistosomiasis, showcased the government's commitment to improving public health. These initiatives, while ambitious, varied in effectiveness across the country's diverse regions.

The early PRC government approached gender equality in the workplace by instituting laws and policies that mandated equal pay for equal work and opened up more job opportunities for women. Women were encouraged to participate in all sectors of the economy, a marked departure from traditional Confucian beliefs that relegated women to domestic roles. However, despite these policies, there was often a discrepancy between law and practice. In reality, women tended to receive lower-paying and less prestigious jobs than men, and the cultural expectation for women to be primarily responsible for domestic duties persisted, limiting the practical impact of these policies.