Urban social exclusion and mental health of China's rural-urban migrants – A review and call for research

Effect of pre- and post-migration neighborhood environment on migrants' mental health: the case of Shenzhen, China

Existing mental health studies usually disregard people's neighborhood experiences in the past, which may have long-lasting mental health effects. This may particularly be true for migrants. To assess how the perceived pre- and post-migration neighborhood environment shapes migrants' mental health later on in life, a quasi-longitudinal survey (N = 591) among migrants was conducted in Shenzhen, China. The risk of poor mental health was screened with the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Perceptions of the pre- and post-migration neighborhood environment were measured retrospectively and assessed with structural equation models. The results show that the direct pathways linking the perceived post-migration neighborhood physical (NPE) and social environment (NSE) to migrants' mental health are significant. No direct association is found between the pre-migration neighborhood environments and mental health. The indirect path between the pre-migration NPE/NSE and mental health is significantly mediated by the post-migration NPE and NSE. Migrants' SES development and their neighborhood attainment interplay overtime which have long-term impacts on their mental health. Our findings suggest that the pre-migration neighborhood plays a crucial role in migrants' mental health. This confirms a path dependency of migrants' neighborhood environment throughout their migrations. Future mental health studies are advised to incorporate neighborhood characteristics along migrants' residential histories.

Urban green space, perceived everyday discrimination and mental health among rural-to-urban migrants: a multilevel analysis in Wuhan, China

BACKGROUND

While the mental health benefits of urban green spaces (UGS) are increasingly recognized, less is known about how these relationships vary for socially marginalized groups. This study investigates the association between UGS and mental health among rural-to-urban migrants in Wuhan, China, examining the roles of the quality and quantity of UGS and the intermediary function of perceived everyday discrimination.

METHODS

We used Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling to analyze data from a social survey, integrating with park-related social media ratings, street view imagery, and geospatial datasets to characterize UGS features and contextual factors, therefore verifying our hypotheses.

RESULTS

Both the quality and quantity of UGS significantly influence migrants' mental health, with quantity demonstrating a stronger overall correlation, challenging common assumptions. Notably, social media scores of parks, reflecting positive user experiences, were found to improve mental health. However, the relationship with UGS quantity was nuanced: higher park density and green view index were positively associated with mental health, while increased park area proportion demonstrated the opposite effect. Furthermore, perceived discrimination emerged as a critical socio-psychological factor and operated spatial heterogeneity. In inner-city areas, neighborhoods characterized by plaza-type parks and high park density were associated with reduced perceived discrimination among migrants, showing active social functions of UGS. However, larger park areas are paradoxically correlated with increased discrimination experiences and poorer mental health. Interestingly, this mediatory effect of perceived discrimination was less pronounced in inner-suburban areas. These findings suggest a nuanced role of UGS in the lives of migrants. While certain aspects of UGS quantity, such as plentiful smaller parks, can facilitate social inclusion and improve mental health, others, like overlarge parks, may unintentionally contribute to feelings of marginalization and negatively impact mental health.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the crucial need for context-sensitive green space planning that balances quality and quantity while mitigating discriminatory experiences to improve the mental health of rural-to-urban migrants.

The impact of family urban integration on migrant worker mental health in China

Background

As China has undergone the processes of urbanization and economic development, a large migrant population has emerged, creating new family migration trends. Family migration brings about changes in urban integration costs and benefits, affecting health investment.

Objective

The primary objective of this research is to investigate the influence of urban integration of migrant workers' families on their mental wellbeing, with the aim of offering policy recommendations conducive to the realization of a comprehensive public health strategy in China.

Methods

This paper uses multi-dimensional indexes to measure family urban integration, covering economic, social and psychological dimensions, which may consider the complexity of integration. Utilizing a machine learning clustering algorithm, the research endeavors to assess the level of urban integration experienced by migrant workers and their respective families. The analysis discerns three distinct clusters denoting varying degrees of urban integration within these familial units, namely high-level, medium-level, and low-level urban integration. We applied binary logit regression models to analyze the influence of family urban integration on the mental health among migrant workers. Then we conducted a series of robustness tests.

Results

The results show that family urban integration decreases the probability of depressive symptoms by 14.6 percentage points. Further mechanism tests show that family economic integration enhances the psychological wellbeing of migrant workers by elevating their income status. Family social integration decreases depressive symptoms by increasing social status. Family psychological integration increases the psychological health of migrant workers by making them more satisfied with their lives. The heterogeneity test shows that family urban integration and its different dimensions have a strong impact on the depressive symptoms of women, first-generation, and less-educated groups.

Conclusions

This study finds that family urban integration and its economic, social, and psychological dimensions significantly reduced the depressive symptoms of migrant workers. The results of this study lead the authors to recommend formulating a family-centered policy for migrant workers to reside in urban areas, optimizing the allocation of medical resources and public services, and improving family urban integration among migrant workers in order to avoid mental health problems in the process of urban integration.

Applying Kumpfer's resilience framework to understand the social adaptation process of the trailing parents in China

BACKGROUND

Trailing parents, a distinct group emerging from China's rapid social change and urbanization, are experiencing migration in old age, posing challenges for their social adaptation. Existing research has mainly focused on the hardships faced by this group, but few studies have focused on how they cope with change and achieve some degree of successful social adaptation. This study aimed to understand the coping and social adaptation process of trailing parents in China.

METHODS

This study used a qualitative research approach. A total of 24 trailing parents were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview and share their experiences and efforts to cope with the many challenges. Kumpfer's resilience framework was used as the theoretical framework for the study design, data collection, and data analysis.

RESULTS

This study identified several intra-family and community stressors that trailing parents may face when moving to a new environment and uncovered five key resilience characteristics that may be triggered or fostered in the presence of these stressors, including physical fitness, psychological stability, open-mindedness, learning ability, and nurturing hobbies. Individuals with resilience traits have been observed to engage in positive cognitive processing and transform the new environment. Consistent with Kumpfer's resilience framework, this study revealed the dynamics of the stressors faced by trailing parents in the new environments, the role of resilience characteristics, and the critical influence of social support in shaping the interplay between the individual and the environment that enabled them to adapt positively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the importance of fostering resilience traits and leveraging positive coping mechanisms to facilitate a smoother adaptation process for trailing parents. Meanwhile, there is an urgent need to focus on creating opportunities that strengthen their social support networks.

Outcome expectations and working alliance may be more important for patients from rural areas during the transition to college life: An exploratory within-patient analysis

ABSTRACTObjective Research has given limited attention to the distinction between patients from rural and urban areas, especially concerning the frequent overlap between rural living and low socio-economic status (SES). To shed more light on this, we explored the differential treatment processes between patients from rural and urban areas.Method Seven hundred and fourteen patients recruited from a university counseling center in China filled out the questionnaires for Outcome Expectation (OE), Session Alliance Inventory (SAI) and Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) each session. Data was analyzed using the disaggregated cross-lagged panel model and the asymmetric fixed-effect model.Results The findings indicated a reciprocal within-patient relation between OE and SAI for the whole sample. SAI mediated the effect of OE on next-session CORE-OM for patients from rural areas, with a significantly greater indirect effect than for patients from the urban areas. Asymmetric effects were found for OE among patients from urban areas, for whom drops in OE predicted worse next-session CORE-OM more strongly than improvements in OE predicted improved CORE-OM.Conclusion This study provided preliminary evidence for differential OE-alliance-outcome predictions between patients with different SES and affirmed a reciprocal OE-alliance relation in a Chinese sample during the transition period of college.

The Role of Childhood Circumstances on Social Conditions and Health of Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Ardakan Cohort Study on Aging (ACSA)

Some studies suggest that childhood can affect some later outcomes. This cross-sectional study of the first phase of the Ardakan Cohort Study on Aging (ACSA) on 5,197 individuals examined the effects of childhood socioeconomic and health on aging well. Childhood socioeconomic status (SES) was measured using parents' education and self-expressed family's financial status. Quality of Life (SF-12), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), WHO well-being scale, and self-reported health questionnaire were used. All data, including childhood experiences, was collected at a single time point. Poor childhood health was associated with lower well-being, life satisfaction, and mental quality of life (OR: .53, p = .032, OR: 0.49, p = .019, and β: -3.51, p = .008, respectively). The family's financial status during childhood was associated with the mental and physical quality of life, satisfaction, well-being, and health (all p < .05). Fathers and mothers who had some level of education increased the odds of being healthy by 1.20 and 1.49 times, respectively. Childhood circumstances affect older adults' health and social conditions. Policies to improve childhood health and SES should be prioritized.

Revisiting the impact of public spaces on the mental health of rural migrants in Wuhan: an integrated multi-source data analysis

Current research on public spaces and mental health often focuses on the independent relationship of one or more social mediators, neglecting the nuanced implications and serial mechanisms inherent in the progressive social process. Using Wuhan city, China, as a study case with multi-source data, this research applies Multilevel Generalized Structural Equation Modeling and deep learning techniques to explore the differential effects of public spaces with varying degrees of publicness (i.e., typical, semi-, and privately owned) on rural migrants' mental health. Crucially, this study scrutinizes both explicit (social interaction) and implicit (perceived integration) social mechanisms to revisit the relationships. The findings reveal that not all public spaces equally influence mental health, with typical and privately owned public spaces conferring profound benefits. Notably, public spaces impact mental health chiefly through perceived integration instead of through direct social interaction. Social interaction improves mental health primarily by enhancing perceived integration, suggesting that meaningful connections beyond superficial encounters are critical. In particular, we observed significant social effects in typical and privately owned public spaces but limited social functionality in semi-public spaces. This evidence contributes to the knowledge required to create supportive social environments within public spaces, integral to nurturing inclusive urban development.

Situational Avoidance and Its Association with Mental Health Among Transgender Adults in South Korea: A Nationwide Cohort Study

Purpose: In fear of discrimination or unwanted disclosure of their transgender identity, transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) people may commonly avoid daily activities. We assessed the prevalence of situational avoidance among TGNB people and examined its associations with mental health outcomes. Methods: We analyzed data from a longitudinal survey conducted at baseline (2020) and follow-up (2021) among 268 TGNB people in South Korea. Situational avoidance due to transgender identity within the past 12 months was assessed based on 12 kinds of daily activities (e.g., public bathroom use, job applications, and hospital visits). Past-week depressive symptoms and past 2-week anxiety symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale and General Anxiety Disorder Scale, respectively. Results: Of 268 participants, 135 (50.4%) have ever avoided daily activities. The most frequently reported situational avoidance was public bathroom use (32.1%), followed by job applications (24.3%) and hospital visits (12.3%). After adjusting for confounders including baseline depressive symptoms and experience of anti-transgender discrimination, participants with any situational avoidance experience were 1.30 times (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.01-1.69) more likely to have anxiety symptoms compared with those without situational avoidance experience. In particular, participants who avoided three or more kinds of daily activities were 1.40 times (95% CI = 1.02-1.93) more likely to have anxiety symptoms than those without any experience of situational avoidance. No association was observed with depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Multilateral interventions including anti-discrimination law enactment are necessary to reduce transphobia and provide support for TGNB people in Korea, thus reducing their fear of participating in daily activities and promoting their mental well-being.

Factors contributing to the mental wellbeing of Afghan migrants in Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study aims to explore the factors contributing mental health of Afghan migrants residing in Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges encountered by migrants, especially during times of crisis, this research delves into the influential factors of experienced anxiety, social cohesion, and stress and their significant contribution to the development of depression among Afghan migrants. The study included a sample of 469 individuals from the Afghan migrant community, aged 15 to 80 years. Data collection took place from December to March 2022 in Iran. The study revealed that anxiety and the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced the occurrence of depression among Afghan migrants. Furthermore, the relationship between these factors and depression was mediated by the experience of stress. Conversely, higher levels of perceived social cohesion in the host country were linked to reduced stress and depression among the migrants. As Afghan migrants in Iran face a heightened risk of developing depression, the importance of social support and integration is underscored by the association between higher levels of perceived social cohesion in the host country and reduced levels of stress and depression. Recognizing the vulnerabilities of this population, it becomes evident that fostering social support networks and promoting integration can play a crucial role in mitigating the negative impact of migration-related stressors and enhancing mental wellbeing among this population.

Intensified discrimination against tenants and its health effects during the COVID-19 pandemic in large Chinese cities

The COVID-19 pandemic in many senses reconstructs social norms and reshapes social behaviour, which typically assumes a close correlation between mobility with a higher risk of COVID-19 infection. This may intensify the pre-existing discrimination against tenants and widen tenure-based health inequalities. Drawing on an online questionnaire survey conducted in five major cities in China in 2020, we employ multi-level regression models to examine the intensified discrimination against tenants during COVID-19 and its impacts on residents' physical and mental health inequalities. Results show that the pre-existing inequalities have been intensified during COVID-19 and the perceived discrimination has rendered worsened self-rated health and mental health and enlarged health inequalities. The discrimination particularly affected tenants with better economic profiles or worse health conditions; by contrast, despite being exposed to more tenant-related discriminatory experiences, rural hukou holders suffered from less severe health inequalities. A clear linkage is found between renting in poorly-managed and larger health gaps generated by discrimination. The negative health impact of intensified discrimination is found to be more significant in communities with lower infection risk, which points to the necessity of understanding the long-term health impact of discrimination against tenants in a more holistic way. In terms of community environment, we discover a positive effect of community social capital, i.e., higher level social capital helps mitigate the health threat of discrimination against tenants during COVID-19. Besides, public housing tenants reported better health outcomes and were less exposed to intensified discrimination during COVID-19 than private housing tenants. These findings provide a nuanced understanding of variations determined by individual and territorial factors, thus present timely policy implications for promoting healthy and inclusive urban development in the post-pandemic era.

Explorative analyses on spatial differences in the desire for social distance toward people with mental illness in a diverging city

Introduction

Stigma is an individual and societal process based on attitudes and power and relates to both spatial disparities and social distinction. In this study, we examined differences in desire for social distance toward people with mental illness within a city using social and spatial information.

Methods

ANOVAs and Scheffé post-hoc tests analyzed varying desires for social distance toward people with mental illness within Leipzig (East Germany). Joint Correspondence Analyses (JCA) explored correspondences between desire for social distance, socio-economic status, age, life orientation, social support, duration of living in Leipzig, and shame toward having a mental illness in five city districts of Leipzig in LIFE study participants (by Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Disease, data collected 2011-2014 and 2018-2021, n = 521).

Results

Stigma varied among Leipzig's districts (F(df = 4) = 4.52, p = 0.001). JCAs showed that a higher desired social distance toward people with mental illness corresponded with spatial differences, high levels of pessimism, high shame of being mentally ill, low social support, low socio-economic status, and older age (75.74 and 81.22% explained variances).

Conclusion

In terms of stigma, where people with mental illness live matters. The results identified target groups that should be addressed by appropriate intervention and prevention strategies for mental health care.

Existing Datasets to Study the Impact of Internal Migration on Caregiving Arrangements among Older Adults in China

Massive rural-to-urban migration in China has a significant impact on informal caregiving arrangements among Chinese older adults. To stimulate research on the intersection of migration and caregiving, we conducted an inventory of longitudinal aging survey datasets from mainland China. Large publicly available datasets that included measures related to migration and caregiving were searched and reviewed for eligibility. Key characteristics of each dataset, including study design, sample size, and measures, were extracted. Seven eligible datasets were identified, and five included nationally representative samples. Measures for migration varied across datasets. Some datasets included information on the migration history of older adults, whereas others focused on the migration of adult children. Similarly, caregiving was measured using different questions in each dataset. Caregiving activities were assessed with regard to their type, source, and amount. High-quality datasets exist to support research on migration and caregiving arrangements among Chinese older adults.

Exploring the relationship between mental health and dialect use among Chinese older adults: a moderated mediation estimation

Background

Mental health, conceptualized as psychological status that includes rational cognition, emotional stability, and interpersonal harmony, is highly relevant to the expected health and well-being of all humans. China is facing the dual risk of increased aging and mental health disorders in older adults, while the established studies have rarely focused on the influence of dialect on the mental health of Chinese older adults. The present study aims to capture the relationship between dialect and mental health in Chinese older adults.

Methods

We use cross-sectional data from the nationally representative China Family Panel Studies, which encompasses the dialect use, mental health, and other socioeconomic features of 4,420 respondents. We construct a moderated mediation model that uses dialects and mental health as the independent and dependent variables and income inequality and subjective well-being as the mediator and moderator to reveal the relationship between dialect and mental health in Chinese older adults.

Results

(1) Dialects are shown to have a negative influence on the mental health of older adults in the current study (coefficient = -0.354, 95% CI = [-0.608, -0.097]). (2) Income inequality positively mediates the correlation between dialects and mental health (coefficient = 0.019, 95% CI = [0.010, 0.045]). (3) Subjective well-being negatively moderates the potential mechanism between dialects and mental health (coefficient = -0.126, 95% CI = [-0.284, -0.010]).

Conclusion

The use of dialects is associated with worse mental health outcomes in Chinese older adults, while this negative influence is positively mediated by income inequality and negatively moderated by subjective well-being, simultaneously. This study contributes to the knowledge enrichment of government workers, older adults with mental disorders, medical staff, and other stakeholders.

Relationships between Health Education, Health Behaviors, and Health Status among Migrants in China: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on the China Migrant Dynamic Survey

Managing the health of migrants has become a crucial aspect of promoting social harmony and cohesion in China. This study investigates the impact of public health education on the health status of migrants in China using cross-sectional data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey 2017. A total of 169,989 migrants in China were selected as samples for empirical test. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and the structural equation model. The findings show that health education significantly influences the health status of migrants in China. Specifically, health education related to occupational diseases, venereal diseases/AIDS, and self-rescue in public emergencies had a significant positive impact on migrants' health, while health education regarding chronic diseases had a significant negative impact. Health education delivered through lectures and bulletin boards had a significant positive impact on migrants' health, but online education had a significant negative effect on the health status of migrants. The effects of health education differ by gender and age, with a stronger positive impact on female migrants and elderly migrants aged 60 and above. The mediating effect of health behaviors was significant only in the total effect. In conclusion, health education can effectively enhance the health status of migrants in China by modifying their health behaviors.

Life course rural/urban place of residence, depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment among older adults: findings from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India

BACKGROUND

Given the unique socioeconomic structures, and the rural/urban differentials in the prevalence of mental illnesses in the country, this study aimed to explore the associations of childhood, adulthood and late-life rural/urban place of residence with mental health outcomes, namely depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment, among older adults in India. The study also examined the relationship between older individuals' life-course rural/urban place of residence and late-life mental and cognitive health.

METHODS

Utilizing data from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (n = 28,027 older adults age 60 years and above), the study employed multivariable logistic and linear regression models to examine the association between urban/rural residential status, life-course residence, depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment among older adults.

RESULTS

Childhood and adulthood place of residence was not associated with depressive symptoms in older men and women. Current rural place of residence was positively associated with depressive symptoms in older women [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.37, confidence interval (CI): 1.05-1.80] but not men. Childhood [aOR: 1.88, CI: 1.16-3.04], adulthood [aOR: 2.00, CI: 1.26-3.16] and current rural residence [aOR: 1.93, CI: 1.27-2.91] was positively associated with cognitive impairment in men. Only current rural residence [aOR: 1.71, CI: 1.29-2.27] was associated with cognitive impairment in women. There was no significant association between life-course place of residence and depressive symptoms except in case of lifetime rural residence Respondents with urban-urban-urban (childhood-adulthood-current) place of residence were less likely to have depressive symptoms [adjusted coefficient (aCoef.): -0.14, CI: -0.21- -0.07] compared to those with rural-rural-rural place of residence. There were significant associations between life-course residence and cognitive impairment except among rural-urban-rural and urban-rural-rural migrants, showing an urban advantage in cognitive function among older adults.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed significant associations between life-course residence and depressive symptoms among permanent rural/urban residents. The study also showed significant associations between life-course residence and cognitive impairment except among rural-urban-rural and urban-rural-rural migrants. Considering the rural disadvantage in mental and cognitive health among older adults, the government should continue to support policies that can improve access to education and healthcare among people residing in rural areas and women, in particular. The findings also urge social scientists and gerontologists in particular, to consider the importance of lifetime historical context while evaluating mental and cognitive health of older persons.

COVID-19 responses restricted abilities and aspirations for mobility and migration: insights from diverse cities in four continents

Research on the impacts of COVID-19 on mobility has focused primarily on the increased health vulnerabilities of involuntary migrant and displaced populations. But virtually all migration flows have been truncated and altered because of reduced economic and mobility opportunities of migrants. Here we use a well-established framework of migration decision-making, whereby individual decisions combine the aspiration and ability to migrate, to explain how public responses to the COVID-19 pandemic alter migration patterns among urban populations across the world. The principal responses to COVID-19 pandemic that affected migration are: 1) through travel restrictions and border closures, 2) by affecting abilities to move through economic and other means, and 3) by affecting aspirations to move. Using in-depth qualitative data collected in six cities in four continents (Accra, Amsterdam, Brussels, Dhaka, Maputo, and Worcester), we explore how populations with diverse levels of education and occupations were affected in their current and future mobility decisions. We use data from interviews with sample of internal and international migrants and non-migrants during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic outbreak to identify the mechanisms through which the pandemic affected their mobility decisions. The results show common processes across the different geographical contexts: individuals perceived increased risks associated with further migration, which affected their migration aspirations, and had reduced abilities to migrate, all of which affected their migration decision-making processes. The results also reveal stark differences in perceived and experienced migration decision-making across precarious migrant groups compared to high-skilled and formally employed international migrants in all settings. This precarity of place is particularly evident in low-income marginalised populations.

Does the immediate reimbursement of medical insurance reduce the socioeconomic inequality in health among the floating population? Evidence from China

BACKGROUND

Enhancing health intervention for floating populations has become an essential aspect of public health around the world. China launched a policy reform aimed at implementing immediate reimbursement for trans-provincial inpatient treatments. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of this policy change on socioeconomic inequality in health among the floating population.

METHODS

This study used two waves of individual-level data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) collected in 2017 and 2018 as well as administrative hospital data at the city level. The sample included 122061 individuals and 262 cities. Under a quasi-experimental research design, we built up the framework to employ the generalized and multi-period difference-in-differences estimation strategy. We used the number of qualified hospitals that could provide immediate reimbursement to represent the degree and intensity of the implementation of this policy change. We also calculated the Wagstaff Index (WI) to measure socioeconomic inequality in health.

RESULTS

This policy change and income level had a negative joint impact on the health status of floating population (odds ratio = 0.955, P < 0.01), that is, the lower the income, the better the number of qualified hospitals' effect on health improvement. Furthermore, as the number of qualified tertiary hospitals increased, the health inequality would decrease significantly on average at the city level (P < 0.05). In addition, inpatient utilization as well as total expenditure and reimbursement significantly improved after the policy change, and the magnitude of increase was greater in the relatively lower-income group (P < 0.01). Finally, only inpatient spending could obtain immediate reimbursement in the early stage, thus, compared with primary care, these impacts were greater in tertiary care.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed that after the implementation of immediate reimbursement, the floating population could obtain greater and more timely reimbursement, which significantly increased its inpatient utilization, promoted health, and reduced the health inequality caused by socioeconomic factors. These results suggest that a more accessible and friendly medical insurance scheme should be promoted for this group.

Is psychologically vulnerable rural-to-urban migrants' mental health further at stake under China's tightened COVID-19 measures: how should the government respond?

There is a well-documented scholarly discourse on how the COVID-19 outbreak adversely affects the mental health of Chinese nationals. However, there is little evidence revealing how the public health crisis negatively influenced the mental health of rural-to-urban migrants in China. The relevant literature argues that rural-to-urban migrant workers and their dependents have been experiencing discrimination, exclusion, and stigmatization in the urban labor market and social space, thereby jeopardizing their mental health to a large extent. However, whether the COVID-19 outbreak and its associated consequences further compounded rural-to-urban migrant workers' mental health has rarely been discussed. Since 2010, the Chinese government has emphasized the importance of promoting positive mental health. Without identifying how COVID-19 specifically imposed mental health challenges on rural-to-urban migrant cohorts, Chinese policymakers cannot effectively and efficiently address the dilemmas faced by such vulnerable groups. The significant rural-to-urban migrant population (i.e. 291 million), alongside their disposition to encounter social and psychological challenges, prompts the urgency to develop this narrative essay to examine whether their mental health burdens worsened during the pandemic. The author also discusses remedies for the worsened mental issues faced by migrant cohorts, and recommends policies that local Chinese governments should adopt to mitigate the mental health burdens encountered by rural-to-urban migrants.

Urbanization and residents' health: from the perspective of environmental pollution

The development of urbanization has important implications for the environment and the human health. However, it is still lacking a comprehensive analysis between urbanization, environmental pollution, and residents' health based on a unified research system. In this study, we assessed the integrated level of urbanization by the entropy method based on the representative indicators. It has been found that there is a significant progress in the urbanization level in the provinces from 2005 to 2020. The impact of urbanization development on environmental pollution was analyzed using the system GMM (Generalized Method of Moments), and the results show an inverted U-shaped relationship between urbanization and environmental pollution. Fixed effect regression model analysis infers that urbanization has a dual impact on population health. Urbanization promotes residents' health by improving medical conditions, but the environmental pollution caused by urbanization is harmful to residents' health. This paper integrated urbanization, environmental pollution, and residents' health into a research system to analyze the impact of urbanization on environmental pollution and residents' health. Some policy recommendations have been proposed based on the research results for promoting high-quality development of urbanization, reducing environmental pollution, and improving residents' health.

Longitudinal associations between emotion regulation strategies and subjective well-being in migrant and non-migrant adolescents in urban China

This study examined the long-term reciprocal impact of two key emotion regulation strategies, cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, on the subjective well-being of migrant and non-migrant adolescents in urban China. A total of 2397 middle school students from urban China (864 migrant, M_age  = 13.05 years, SD = 0.62, 41.7% girls; 1533 non-migrant, M_age  = 13.01 years, SD = 0.47, 50.1% girls) were followed from 2016 to 2017. Data on the two emotion regulation strategies (measured using the Chinese version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire) and subjective well-being (measured using the Subjective Well-Being Inventory) were collected. Although no differences were found in the use of cognitive reappraisal, migrant adolescents reported greater use of expressive suppression than non-migrant adolescents. Furthermore, a two-group cross-lagged panel analysis showed that cognitive reappraisal positively predicted subjective well-being among both migrant and non-migrant adolescents, whereas expressive suppression was positively related to subjective well-being in only migrant adolescents. Migrant adolescents with higher levels of subjective well-being jointly used cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, while non-migrant adolescents were prone to only using cognitive reappraisal. These findings indicate that group-level context influences both the utilisation and functionality of emotion regulation strategies among migrant and non-migrant adolescents in urban China.

The Residential Environment and Health and Well-Being of Chinese Migrant Populations: A Systematic Review

China's internal migrants suffer from marginalised housing conditions, poor neighbourhood environments and residential segregation, which may have significant implications on health and well-being. Echoing recent calls for interdisciplinary research on migrant health and well-being, this study examines the associations and mechanisms of the impact of the residential environment on the health and well-being of Chinese migrants. We found that most of the relevant studies supported the "healthy migration effect", but the phenomenon was only applicable to migrants' self-reported physical health rather than mental health. The subjective well-being of migrants is lower than that of urban migrants. There is a debate between the effectiveness of residential environmental improvements and the ineffectiveness of residential environmental improvements in terms of the impact of the neighbourhood environment on migrants' health and well-being. Housing conditions and the neighbourhood's physical and social environment can enhance migrants' health and well-being by strengthening place attachment and social cohesion, building localised social capital and gaining neighbourhood social support. Residential segregation on the neighbourhood scale affects the health outcomes of migrant populations through the mechanism of relative deprivation. Our studies build a vivid and comprehensive picture of research to understand migration, urban life and health and well-being.

Perceived social cohesion and depressive symptoms among internal migrants in China: The mediating role of social adaptation

Background

Internal migrants are exposed to higher risks of depressive symptoms due to migration-related stress. It has been recognized that perceived neighborhood social cohesion has direct and indirect associations with depressive symptoms. However, the pathway from perceived social cohesion to internal migrants' depressive symptoms was less discussed.

Objectives

To assess mental health disparities among internal migrants. To investigate the association between social cohesion and depressive symptoms among urban-to-urban and rural-to-urban migrants and to examine the mediating role of social adaptation.

Methods

Data from the "2017 Urbanization and New Migrant Survey" was used, including 2,584 internal migrants age 18-65 from 10 cities in China. Social cohesion was measured by a six-item modified Community-level Cohesion Scale. Depressive symptoms was measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and social adaptation was assessed by a single-item question of migrants' adaptation to local life. Multivariate linear regression models were used to examine the association between social cohesion and depressive symptoms. Baron and Kenny's mediation tests were conducted to examine the mediating role of social adaptation on the association. All analyses were adjusted using sampling weights to account for this survey's sampling design.

Results

Rural-to-urban migrants were found to have more clinically significant depressive symptoms, lower perceived social cohesion, and fair or low social adaptation than urban-to-urban migrants (all p < 0.001). Being rural-to-urban migrants as compared with urban-to-urban migrants [Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.46, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.456, 1.461, p < 0.001], had lower perceived social cohesion (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.458, 1.463, p < 0.001), and poorer social adaptation (OR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.932, 1.941, p < 0.001), are associated with higher odds of having clinically significant depressive symptoms. Social adaptation partially mediated the association between social cohesion and depressive symptoms by explaining 15.39% of its effect for urban-to-urban migrants and 18.97% for rural-to-urban migrants.

Conclusions

Findings from this study reveal mental health inequalities among internal migrants and demonstrate the importance of social adaption on the association between social cohesion and depressive symptoms. Social strategies and public policies are needed to build a more cohesive community that serves both local residents and internal migrants, especially rural-to-urban migrants.

Suicide in China: Community Attitudes and Stigma

China accounts for an estimated third of the world's suicides, yet individuals experiencing suicidality typically do not seek out or receive treatment. This study examines community perceptions and public stigma toward suicide. In Shanghai, China 186 adults were recruited to participate in a survey with an experimental vignette describing a suicidal individual, manipulated on gender and age, followed by questions eliciting attitudes toward suicide. Most participants agreed that the suicidal subject had a serious problem, with seriousness of the problem decreasing with participant's age. Participants reported moderate levels of public stigma. More stigma was found toward adolescent subjects rather than adult. Male subjects were perceived as being more likely to change than females. The public's accurate view of suicide without biases could help prevent suicide from getting worse. Public perceptions regarding a suicidal individual's likelihood to change could lead to stigma reduction, which can subsequently help with effective crisis intervention.

The Impact of Migration Experience on Rural Residents' Mental Health: Evidence from Rural China

Migration experience is considered to be an important factor affecting mental health. With the increasing number of rural-to-urban migrant workers returning to their hometowns, the impact of migration experience on rural residents is worthy of noting. Using the data from the 2018 China Labor Dynamics Survey, this paper took migration experience as the identification criteria for returning migrant workers and empirically examined the impact of migration experience on rural residents' mental health. Our results indicated that migration experience had a significant negative impact on the mental health of rural residents. That is, returning migrant workers had a worse mental health status than that of rural residents who never left their hometowns. Mechanism analysis showed that social support and social comparison played an intermediary role in the impact of migration experience on the mental health of rural residents. We also detected considerable heterogeneity in the effects of migration experience: the short-term returning migrant workers and the passive returning migrant workers are more likely to be negatively affected by the migration experience. Our results emphasized the mental health problem faced by returning migrant workers. The policy makers should strengthen psychological education and mental health consultation according to the intergenerational differences and individual characteristics of returning migrant workers.

Ecological Study of Urbanicity and Self-reported Poor Mental Health Days Across US Counties

Geography may influence mental health by inducing changes to social and physical environmental and health-related factors. This understanding is largely based on older studies from Western Europe. We sought to quantify contemporary relationships between urbanicity and self-reported poor mental health days in US counties. We performed regression on US counties (n = 3142) using data from the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. Controlling for state, age, income, education, and race/ethnicity, large central metro counties reported 0.24 fewer average poor mental health days than small metro counties (t = - 5.78, df = 423, p < .001). Noncore counties had 0.07 more average poor mental health days than small metro counties (t = 3.06, df = 1690, p = 0.002). Better mental health in large central metro counties was partly mediated by differences in the built environment, such as better food environments. Poorer mental health in noncore counties was not mediated by considered mediators.

The Effect of Left-Behind Women on Fertilizer Use: Evidence from China's Rural Households Engaging in Rural-Urban Migration

Rural-urban migration in developing countries has required left-behind women to assume the role of key decision makers and take increasing responsibility for agricultural production. However, little is known about the effect of rural-urban migration on fertilizer use when left-behind women assume key decision-maker roles. This study highlights the effect of left-behind women on fertilizer use, drawing on nationwide household survey data in China. The results indicate that households with recognized left-behind women heads use less fertilizer than those with recognized men heads, while households with de facto left-behind women heads use more fertilizer. Moreover, the average nexus between households with recognized left-behind women heads whose major agricultural income comes from grain crops and fertilize use is negative but small in size and statistically insignificant. The findings indicate that future policy efforts aimed at decreasing rural environmental degradation should place greater emphasis on left-behind women's empowerment in socioeconomic decision-making within and outside the household, thereby contributing to an environment in which left-behind women farmers can succeed in a sustainable way.

Neighborhood social capital and self-rated mental health: Disparities between migrants and native residents in Beijing

Introduction

Although the impact of neighborhood social capital on mental health has long been recognized, the extent to which the impact differs between immigrants and local residents remains a puzzle. This study aims to bridge the gap by comparing internal migrants who are restricted by their household registration (hukou) status, and urban natives in China.

Methods

Using self-rated mental health and social capital survey data collected in 26 neighborhoods in Beijing, this study examines the mental health outcomes of three types of neighborhood social capital, including social networks, shared norms and mutual trust, and social support.

Results

The study finds that the hukou status of immigrants moderates the effect of neighborhood social capital on mental health, and that the internal migrants in China experience less mental health benefit of neighborhood social capital than urban natives. Compared with urban natives, neighborhood social networks have less positive effect on migrants' mental health than that of urban natives.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that policy makers can improve the mental health of migrants through social capital building on the premise of eliminating the restrictions of hukou system on the migrants' right to participate in neighborhood activities and to access neighborhood services.

Fitness Dance Counteracts Female Ph.D. Candidates' Stress by Affecting Emotion Regulation

Background: The impact of stress on the nation's physical and mental health is considerable. Exercise is considered to have beneficial effects on mental health and the capacity for coping with stress. The purpose of this study is to verify the effects of fitness dance intervention on female Ph.D. candidates' stress, and compare it with the intervention effects of MBSR. Method: A repeated measurement experimental design was used to evaluate the effects of fitness dance and MBSR on Chinese female Ph.D. candidates' stress. Results: Twelve weeks of fitness dance and MBSR can reduce participants' stress from severe to moderate. Eight weeks of fitness dance can reduce the tension from perceived stress (p = 0.019) and loss of control from perceived stress (p = 0.043). Twelve weeks of fitness dance can reduce the tension from perceived stress (p < 0.000), loss of control from perceived stress (p = 0.002) and perceived stress (p = 0.001). Fitness dance and MBSR affect emotion regulation, thereby affecting stress. Fitness dance reduced participants' stress by improving their cognitive reappraisal ability. MBSR reduced participants' stress by improving their cognitive reappraisal ability and expression suppression ability. Conclusions: Fitness dance, as a method of exercise intervention, is suitable for reducing Chinese female Ph.D. candidates' stress.

Determinants of mental disorders of Afghan migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose

Afghan migrants are at an increased risk of mental disorders due to various political, economic and security-associated stressors. COVID-19 has brought extra concerns for this group of migrants around the world. Few studies have examined how the perception of the host society and perceived stress are associated with the mental health of migrants during the COVD-19 pandemic. This study aims to examine the role of perceived justice, freedom and the burden of COVID-19 on experienced stress and depression among Afghan migrants in Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

N = 497 participants representing the Afghan migrant community between 15 and 80 years old participated in the study. The target population was recruited from Afghan migrants residing in Kerman city in Iran, the capital of one of the provinces with the highest number of Afghan migrants in Iran. The participants answered questions on depression, positive mental health and a series of stressors such as perceived justice, freedom and the burden of COVID-19. Data was collected in November and December 2021 during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran.

Findings

The authors found a significant effect of the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrants’ perceived stress and depression. On the other hand, perceptions of justice and freedom in the host country can significantly reduce stress and depression. The results show that stress mediates the effect of justice, freedom and the burden of COVID-19 on depression. In addition, positive mental health moderates the impact of stress on depression.

Originality/value

The current study is one of the pioneering studies that examines the determinants of Afghan migrants’ mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran.

The politics of sanitization: Pandemic crisis, migration and development in Asia-Pacific

COVID-19 has resulted in new anxieties about the risks and dangers involved in human mobility and forced governments to simultaneously re-engineer policies for temporary health control and longer-term border-crossing and migration policies; characterized by the sanitization of space and mobility. This special issue considers the policies, including health and non-health measures, that have impacts on migrant workers and migration. While COVID control measures are often phrased in medical language and policy discourses, they often serve multiple goals including political and social control. The papers in this issue cover different places in Asia and the Pacific. We propose the "politics of sanitization" as a conceptual framework to examine the multiple dimensions of state governance and the variegated impacts upon migrants, including: (1) sanitizing space and borders, (2) stigmatization and sanitizing migrants' bodies, (3) sanitizing ethnic borders and the national body, and (4) reorganizing the borders of sanitization and membership of society.

Social Support for Acculturative Stress, Job Stress, and Perceived Discrimination Among Migrant Workers Moderates COVID-19 Pandemic Depression

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the practical moderating effect of social support on the relationship between acculturative stress, job stress, and perceived discrimination, and depression among migrant workers during the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic as a vulnerable group susceptible to mental health problems. Methods: Data for this cross-sectional descriptive study were collected using an online survey from 214 Vietnamese and Cambodian migrant workers, who are among the largest migrant groups residing in South Korea. Participants were asked to report on acculturative stress, job stress, perceived discrimination, depression, and social support through questionnaires in their native languages. Results: The findings showed that acculturative stress affected depression, and this effect was moderated by social support. The impact of acculturative stress on depression was significant in the group with low mean scores of social support. However, the effect of the interaction of social support on the relationship of job stress and perceived discrimination to depression was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the need for differentiated strategies to improve the mental health of migrant workers based on the level of social support.

Sex and Urban–Rural Differences in the Relationship between Childhood Sexual Abuse and Mental Health among Chinese College Students

This study aimed to reveal sex and urban–rural differences in the association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and mental health among Chinese college students. The study used data from the “National College Student Survey on Sexual and Reproductive Health 2019”, a cross-sectional study conducted in all 31 provinces of mainland China. Weighted logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the association between CSA (noncontact CSA, contact CSA, and penetrative CSA) and mental health (suicide attempts and mental disorders). Among 49,728 students, 39.42% of the male participants and 43.55% of the female participants had ever experienced CSA. According to the OR results of logistic regression analysis, compared to females, males in the contact CSA group (AOR: 3.49, 95% CI: 1.95–6.23) and the penetrative CSA group (AOR: 8.79, 95% CI: 3.15–24.52) had higher odds of suicide attempts. Participants from rural and suburban areas that were categorized in the penetrative CSA group were more likely to report suicide attempts (rural: AOR: 4.01, 95% CI: 1.51–10.62, suburban AOR: 4.86, 95% CI: 2.52–9.36) and mental disorders (rural: AOR: 4.01, 95% CI: 1.51–10.62, suburban: AOR: 4.86, 95% CI: 2.52–9.36). In conclusion, the findings revealed a high prevalence of CSA in both sexes and reported that males are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of CSA. In addition, we also found that undergraduates growing up in rural and suburban areas are more vulnerable to the adverse psychological effects of CSA. Policymakers should pay more attention to this vulnerable population and implement effective measures to alleviate mental trauma.

The association between entrapment and depression among migrant workers in China: a social rank theory based study

BACKGROUND

Migrant workers are a group susceptible for depression evolution due to occupational maladaptive triggers. The social rank theory illustrates the pathology process from defensive adaptation to depression, pointing out the early prevention of depression by discovering entrapment. This study aims to reveal the relationship between migrant workers' entrapment and depressive symptoms.

METHODS

A total of 1805 migrant workers in Shenzhen were recruited by stratified multi-stage sampling. Sample's demographic, behavioral and psychosocial characteristics were described and analyzed to reveal the relationship between entrapment and depressive symptoms. The Receiver Operator Characteristic was performed to find the optimal cut-off point of Entrapment Scale for predicting depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

In the binary logistic regression of sociodemographic variables, migrant workers who were married (univariate odds ratio (ORu) = 0.69, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.56-0.84), owned 1 or 2 children (ORu = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.58-0.86), had been working over 10 years (ORu = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.54-0.95), earned > 4999 yuan per month (ORu = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.47-0.99; multivariate odds ratio (ORm) = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.38-0.87) or with low risks of alcohol use disorders (ORu = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.34-0.75) had lower risks of depressive symptoms. After adjusted the aforementioned significant sociodemographic variables, migrant workers with severer entrapment were more likely to have depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio (ORa) = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.12-1.15). Besides, the study proved the reliability and validity of the Chinese version Entrapment Scale, preferring a two-dimensional structure, and 11 was the optimal cut-off value of this scale for predicting depressive symptoms among migrant workers.

CONCLUSIONS

This result indicates the potential value of entrapment according to the social rank theory on facilitating early prevention of migrant works' depression and the application value of Entrapment Scale for effectively measuring mental status among migrant workers.

Factors associated with symptoms of poor mental health among women factory workers in China's supply chain

OBJECTIVE

Foreign direct investment (FDI) to China has motivated increased labor migration to export processing zones (EPZs). Work environments with high occupational stress, such as production line jobs typical in EPZs, have been associated with adverse mental health symptoms.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey that examined occupational stress and symptoms of poor mental health was implemented among Chinese women factory workers in three electronic factories in the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area. Symptoms of mental health measured in the survey were hopelessness, depression, not feeling useful or needed, and trouble concentrating. Crude and adjusted prevalence odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated with logistic regression.

RESULTS

Responses were collected from 696 women factory workers. Participants were aged 18-56 years (mean 28 ± 5.8), 66% of whom were married and 25% of whom were migrants. Nearly 50% of participants reported at least one symptom of poor mental health. After adjusting for covariates associated with each outcome in the bivariate analysis, high job strain was associated with hopelessness (OR 2.68, 95% CI 1.58, 4.56), not feeling useful (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.22, 3.43), and feeling depressed (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.16, 2.72).

CONCLUSION

This study expands on the international body of research on the well-being of women working in the global supply chain and provides evidence on the associations between occupational stressors, migration, and social support on symptoms of poor mental health among women workers. Future research to better understand and improve psychological health and to prevent suicide among workers in China's factories is critical to improve the health of China's labor force.

Integrating Individual Factors to Construct Recognition Models of Consumer Fraud Victimization

Consumer financial fraud has become a serious problem because it often causes victims to suffer economic, physical, mental, social, and legal harm. Identifying which individuals are more likely to be scammed may mitigate the threat posed by consumer financial fraud. Based on a two-stage conceptual framework, this study integrated various individual factors in a nationwide survey (36,202 participants) to construct fraud exposure recognition (FER) and fraud victimhood recognition (FVR) models by utilizing a machine learning method. The FER model performed well (f1 = 0.727), and model interpretation indicated that migration status, financial status, urbanicity, and age have good predictive effects on fraud exposure in the Chinese context, whereas the FVR model shows a low predictive effect (f1 = 0.565), reminding us to consider more psychological factors in future work. This research provides an important reference for the analysis of individual differences among people vulnerable to consumer fraud.

Trends in depression incidence in China, 1990-2019

BACKGROUND

Depression is one of the most widespread health burdens for the general population in China. This study aims to assess the long-term trends of depression incidence in China between 1990 and 2019.

METHODS

The incidence data were drawn from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, and an age-period-cohort model was used in the analysis.

RESULTS

The net drift was -0.66% (95% CI: -0.79% to -0.53%) per year for both genders. For males, the local drift was lower than 0 (P<0.05) in those aged 10-54 years, and higher than 0 (P<0.05) in those aged 60-69 years. For females, the local drift was lower than 0 (P<0.05) in those aged 10-49 years and higher than 0 (P<0.05) in those aged 55-84 years. Females had a higher risk of depression incidence than males. Compared with the 1990-1994 period, the relative risk (RR) of depression incidence in 2015-2019 decreased by 12.2% in males and 12.3% in females, and compared to the 1903-1907 birth cohort, the cohort RRs in the 2008-2012 birth cohort decreased by 42.1% in males and 34.5% in females. Period and cohort RRs all showed an increased tendency in recent periods and birth cohorts.

LIMITATIONS

These data are macrolevel estimates at the national level, may have ecological fallacies.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the age-standard incidence of depression has declined in China as a whole in the last three decades, the incidence of depression among older individuals has increased. More efforts are needed to promote the mental health of elderly individuals in China.

Internal Migration Experience and Depressive Symptoms among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Evidence from China

Background: This study aimed to examine the association of internal migration experience with depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly Chinese, as well as explore possible mechanisms of the relationship. Methods: Participants were from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a nationally representative sample of residents aged 45 years and older (n = 43,854). Survey data on depressive symptoms and internal migration experience were collected from biennial CHARLS surveys (CHARLS 2011/2013/2015) and a unique CHARLS life history survey in 2014, respectively. Multiple logistic regressions and the Karlson–Holm–Breen (KHB) method were employed in the statistical analyses. Results: The overall prevalence rate of depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults was 34.6%. Internal migration experience was associated with higher risks of depressive symptoms (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.02–1.12, p < 0.01), especially among females (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.01–1.14, p < 0.05), middle-aged adults (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.06–1.19, p < 0.001), rural-to-urban migrants who had not obtained an urban hukou (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.07–1.19, p < 0.001), and those who had low migration frequency and first migrated out at 35 years of age or older. Chronic disease (17.98%, p < 0.001), physical injury (7.04%, p < 0.001), medical expenditure (7.98%, p < 0.001), pension insurance (4.91%, p < 0.001), and parent–child interaction (4.45%, p < 0.01) were shown to mediate the association of internal migration experience with depressive symptoms. Conclusions: This study indicates that there is a significant association between internal migration experience and high risks of depression onset later in life. It is suggested to reduce institutional barriers for migrants and implement evidence-based interventions to improve migrants’ mental health.

Domestic Generative Acts and Life Satisfaction among Supplementary Grandparent Caregivers in Urban China: Mediated by Social Support and Moderated by Hukou Status

Urban China is witnessing a growth of migrant grandparents apart from the prevalent local grandparent caregiving. However, the health consequences and influencing factors of grandparent caregiving remain largely unknown among migrant and local grandparent caregivers. This study examined informal and formal social support's mediation roles between domestic generative acts and life satisfaction, as well as investigating Hukou's (household registration system) moderation effect. Our sample compromised 1013 grandparent caregivers (Migrant = 508, Local = 505) from 12 kindergartens with a multistage clustered random sampling from Eastern China. Migrant grandparent caregivers had significant lower informal social support (M = 4.000, L = 4.355, p < 0.001), formal social support (M = 1.787, L = 2.111, p < 0.001), and life satisfaction (M = 3.323, L = 3.574, p < 0.001) than local ones. Structural equation modeling results indicated that domestic generative acts positively associated with life satisfaction (b = 0.085, p < 0.05), informal (b = 0.223, p < 0.001) and formal social support (b = 0.080, p < 0.05); informal (b = 0.379, p < 0.001) and formal social support (b = 0.138, p < 0.001) positively associated with life satisfaction. In addition, both informal (β = 0.084, CI [0.039, 0.101], p < 0.001) and formal social support (β = 0.011, CI [0.001, 0.018], p < 0.05) mediated the relationship between domestic generative acts and life satisfaction. Furthermore, Hukou status moderated the indirect path from domestic generative acts to life satisfaction via informal social support (p < 0.01), but not formal social support (p > 0.05). Migrant grandparent caregivers, with limited formal social support resources, were found to be more dependent on informal social support than locals. The findings revealed social support and wellbeing disparities among migrant and local grandparent caregivers in urban China. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are also discussed.

Impact of Internet Use on Multi-dimensional Health: An Empirical Study Based on CGSS 2017 Data

Based on the data of the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) in 2017, the paper divides overall health into physical, mental, and social health, using the ordered probit model to examine the impact of Internet use on multi-dimensional health. It then discusses the possible heterogeneity in different groups and underlying mechanism. Results found that using the Internet can improve the health level in multiple dimensions. After endogenous and robustness tests, the results remain robust. Heterogeneity analysis shows that Internet use has more obvious effects on the health of senior high school education or above, the elderly, and men. Further analysis of the mediating effect model found that information, leisure, and social preferences are important path mechanisms for Internet use to promote physical, mental, and social health, respectively.

Frequency of basic public health services utilization by married female migrants in China: associations of social support, discrimination and sociodemographic factors

Background

Utilization of basic public health services (BPHS) allows for disease prevention and management and is an essential component for protecting health. Disparities in utilization exist between rural-to-urban migrants and their local counterparts in China. This study sought to determine the frequency of BPHS utilization and whether social support, discrimination, and sociodemographic features were risk factors for low BPHS utilization by Chinese female migrants.

Methods

Data were derived from a survey of female rural-to-urban migrants at nine work sites in Changsha, China. The association between social support, discrimination, sociodemographic factors and BPHS utilization was obtained using Chi-square and logistic regression analysis.

Results

Between December 2017 and April 2018, 307 female participants completed the survey. A total of 24.7% reported having had health education, 26.1% had breast and cervical cancer screening, 27.2% had established a health care record, and 40.9% had received basic contraceptive services. Two factors were associated with the reduced likelihood of BPHS utilization: Length of migration and health record establishment (OR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.31, 0.92) and years of education and basic contraceptive service use (OR = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.20, 0.67). The remaining six factors were associated with an increased likelihood of BPHS utilization: Living circumstances and health record establishment (OR = 2.11; 95% CI = 1.17, 3.80), health education (OR = 2.71; 95% CI = 1.51, 4.87) and cancer screening (OR = 2.38; 95% CI = 1.30, 4.36). Utilization of social support was associated with health record establishment (OR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.06, 1.44), basic contraceptive service use (OR = 1.21; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.42) and cancer screening (OR = 1.29; 95% CI = 1.10, 1.51). Objective social support was associated with health education utilization (OR = 1.15; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.26), while subjective social support was associated with basic contraceptive service use (OR = 1.11; 95% CI = 1.05, 1.18) and cancer screening (OR = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.02, 1.17). Family location was associated with basic contraceptive service use (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.12, 3.44) and migration time in Changsha was associated with basic contraceptive service use (OR = 2.24; 95% CI = 1.18, 4.27).

Conclusions

Overall, there was low utilization rate for four BPHS by Chinese female migrants, and social support appears to be an important factor in this setting. Government, community, and workplace education efforts for enhancing BPHS utilization among female rural-to-urban migrants are recommended.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12905-021-01482-3.

Assessing the perceived changes in neighborhood physical and social environments and how they are associated with Chinese internal migrants' mental health

BACKGROUND

Migrants experience substantial changes in their neighborhood physical and social environments along their migration journeys, but little is known about how perceived changes in their neighborhood environment pre- and post-migration correlate with their mental health. Our aim was to examine the associations between recalled changes in the perceived neighborhood physical and social environments and migrants' mental health in the host city.

METHODS

We used cross-sectional data on 591 migrants in Shenzhen, China. We assessed their risk of mental illness using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Neighborhood perceptions were collected retrospectively pre- and post-migration. We used random forests to analyze possibly non-linear associations between GHQ scores and changes in the neighborhood environment, variable importance, and for exploratory analysis of variable interactions.

RESULTS

Perceived changes in neighborhood aesthetics, safety, and green space were non-linearly associated with migrants' mental health: A decline in these characteristics was associated with poor mental health, while improvements in them were unrelated to mental health benefits. Variable importance showed that change in safety was the most influential neighborhood characteristic, although individual-level characteristics-such as self-reported physical health, personal income, and hukou (i.e., the Chinese household registration system)-appeared to be more important to explain GHQ scores and also strongly interacted with other variables. For physical health, we found different associations between changes in the neighborhood provoked by migration and mental health.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that perceived degradations in the physical environment are related to poorer post-migration mental health. In addition, it seems that perceived changes in the neighborhood environment play a minor role compared to individual-level characteristics, in particular migrants' physical health condition. Replication of our findings in longitudinal settings is needed to exclude reverse causality.

Hukou-based rural-urban disparities in maternal health service utilization and delivery modes in two Chinese cities in Guangdong Province

BACKGROUND

Most existing research on rural-urban health inequalities focuses on disparities in service access and health outcomes based on region. This paper examines rural-urban disparities in maternal healthcare utilization and delivery modes based on household registration (hukou) status to understand the role of state institutions in producing healthcare disparities in China.

METHODS

Utilizing administrative data from the Public Maternal Health Insurance scheme, we analyzed 54,733 live births in City A (2015-2019) and 25,849 live births in City B (2018-2019) in Guangdong Province in China. We constructed regression models using hukou status (rural versus urban) as the explanatory variable.

RESULTS

While there is no statistically significant difference in rural and urban mothers' probability of obtaining the minimum recommended number of prenatal care checkups in City A (OR = 0.990 [0.950, 1.032]), mothers with rural hukou status have a lower probability of obtaining the minimum recommended number of visits in City B than their counterparts with urban hukou (OR = 0.781 [0.740, 0.825]). The probability of delivering in tertiary hospital is lower among mothers with rural hukou than among those with urban hukou in both cities (City A: OR = 0.734 [0.701, 0.769]; City B: OR = 0.336 [0.319, 0.354]). Mothers with rural hukou are more likely to have a Cesarean section than those with urban hukou in both cities (City A: OR = 1.065 [1.027, 1.104]; City B: OR = 1.127 [1.069, 1.189]). Compared with mothers with urban hukou, mothers with rural hukou incurred 4 % (95 % CI [-0.046, -0.033]) and 9.4 % (95 % CI [-0.120, -0.068]) less in total medical costs for those who delivered via Cesarean section and 7.8 % (95 % CI [-0.085, -0.071]) and 19.9 % (95 % CI [-0.221, -0.177]) less for those who delivered via natural delivery in City A and City B, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Rural hukou status is associated with younger age, no difference or lower probability of having a minimum number of prenatal checkups, higher likelihood of delivering in nontertiary hospitals, increased Cesarean delivery rates, and lower medical cost for delivery in these two Chinese cities. Evaluating how hukou status influences maternal healthcare in Chinese cities is important for devising targeted public policies to promote more equitable maternal health services.

Understanding aging and consumer fraud victimization in the Chinese context: A two-stage conceptual approach

The relationship between aging and consumer fraud victimization is mixed in the literature. Most studies based on survey data have found older consumers less likely to be fraud victims, while a few studies have found older consumers more likely to be victimized, especially with certain fraud types. We developed a two-stage conceptual framework to differentiate fraud exposure from fraud victimization once exposed. Using nationally representative Chinese data and controlling for confounders, we found that consumers between 65 and 74 face similar risks of being targeted by perpetrators compared to younger groups, while consumers 75+ and older are less likely to be exposed to fraud. However, once exposed, both groups of older consumers are significantly more likely to become fraud victims. In the Chinese context, these two opposing effects led to an overall higher risk of consumer financial fraud victimization by older consumers.

The role of social vs. physical environmental nuisances in affecting stress among Jewish and Muslim women in Israel

We calculate the effects of selected social and physical environmental nuisances on the autonomic nervous system balance among Jewish and Muslim mothers. Seventy-two Jewish and Muslim young healthy mothers from an Arab and Jewish neighboring city were tested in seven urban environments. Three social mediators (social discomfort, participation in household's decision-making and freedom of movement) and three physical mediators (thermal load, carbon monoxide and noise) were considered. Mean differences between Jewish and Muslim heart rate variability (HRV) and the effects of the mediating variables were calculated by ANOVA and stepwise multiple regressions. The results suggest that HRV was predominantly affected by social discomfort. Jewish and Muslim mothers experienced similar levels of social discomfort albeit; their responses differed by type of environment. Jewish mothers experienced stronger social discomfort in outdoor environments while Muslim mothers felt stronger social discomfort at home. Crossing ethnic boundaries was associated with increase in stress in both groups. Social discomfort played a stronger role in predicting stress in inter-ethnic environments. In conclusion, the study shows that social discomfort is a predominant environmental factor in predicting stress and related risk to health as reflected in the ANS balance across ethnicities. In addition ethnic specific factors like women freedom of movement played a minor role in effecting stress. At the same time the physical environmental aspects played essential role in effecting stress.

Changing trends of mental and behavioral responses and associations during the COVID-19 epidemic in China: a panel study

This prospective observational study examined changing trends in mental and behavioral responses, and their association with perceived risk, severity, self-efficacy and isolation status during the Chinese COVID-19 epidemic. There were five waves of interviews. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric test methods were used for data analysis. Participants numbered 150 for the linkable baseline survey and 102 completed all 5 survey waves and were included in the analysis. Mental stress, emotional status and lifestyle manifested a statistically significant downwards trend across the total period of this panel study. The number of reported new confirmed patients perceived high risk and perceived severity were positively associated with mental stress, emotional status and lifestyle. Self-efficacy was negatively associated with each type of mental and behavioral response. The more time people were confined to their home, the more serious the emotional and lifestyle problems. Dose-response relationships were noted between the number of reported new confirmed patients and mental stress, emotional status and lifestyle during the five observation points. This study yielded new information about mental and behavioral responses among Chinese people during the COVID-19 epidemic. Policy changes and health education are essential for minimizing the adverse health effects of these responses.

The Influence of the Urban Environment on Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Focus on Air Pollution and Migration-A Narrative Review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a crisis worldwide, due to both its public health impact and socio-economic consequences. Mental health was consistently affected by the pandemic, with the emergence of newly diagnosed psychiatric disorders and the exacerbation of pre-existing ones. Urban areas were particularly affected by the virus spread. In this review, we analyze how the urban environment may influence mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, considering two factors that profoundly characterize urbanization: air pollution and migration. Air pollution serves as a possibly risk factor for higher viral spread and infection severity in the context of urban areas and it has also been demonstrated to play a role in the development of serious mental illnesses and their relapses. The urban environment also represents a complex social context where minorities such as migrants may live in poor hygienic conditions and lack access to adequate mental health care. A global rethinking of the urban environment is thus required to reduce the impact of these factors on mental health. This should include actions aimed at reducing air pollution and combating climate change, promoting at the same time a more inclusive society in a sustainable development perspective.

Teaching Transnational Buddhist Meditation with Vipassanā (Neiguan 內觀) and Mindfulness (Zhengnian 正念) for Healing Depression in Contemporary China

This paper examines how the teaching of embodied practices of transnational Buddhist meditation has been designated for healing depression explicitly in contemporary Chinese Buddhist communities with the influences of Buddhist modernism in Southeast Asia and globalization. Despite the revival of traditional Chan school meditation practices since the Open Policy, various transnational lay meditation practices, such as vipassanā and mindfulness, have been popularized in monastic and lay communities as a trendy way to heal physical and mental suffering in mainland China. Drawing from a recent ethnographic study of a meditation retreat held at a Chinese Buddhist monastery in South China, this paper examines how Buddhist monastics have promoted a hybrid mode of embodied Buddhist meditation practices, mindfulness and psychoanalytic exercises for healing depression in lay people. With analysis of the teaching and approach of the retreat guided by well-educated Chinese meditation monastics, I argue that some young generation Buddhist communities have contributed to giving active responses towards the recent yearning for individualized bodily practices and the social trend of the “subjective turn” and self-reflexivity in contemporary Chinese society. The hybrid inclusion of mindfulness exercises from secular programs and psychoanalytic exercises into a vipassanā meditation retreat may reflect an attempt to re-contextualize meditation in Chinese Buddhism.

Exploring the risk-taking tendency among migrant workers in the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of ontological security

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the social environment of most laborers around the world and has profoundly affected people's ontological security and behavior choices. Among them, the migrant workers are one of the groups most affected by the pandemic.

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the mechanism of the impact of the scarcity of ontological security caused by the pandemic on the risk-taking tendency of migrant workers in China through two studies.

METHODS

This study adopts two experimental method, with 514 participants in the first study and 357 participants in the second study.

RESULTS

The results show that the pandemic-induced scarcity perception of ontological security promotes their risk-taking tendency, and the migrant workers' cognitive reflection ability, sense of unfairness and expected benefits play a significant mediating role in this process. The scarcity perception of ontological security promotes migrant workers' risk-taking tendency by reducing the cognitive reflection ability, triggering the sense of unfairness and overstating expected benefits.

CONCLUSIONS

The conclusion of this study can help migrant workers, enterprises and government to avoid potential workplace and social bad behavior.

[What do we Know About the Link Between Urbanisation and Mental Illness? - A Systematic Review]

OBJECTIVE

The proportion of peoples living in cities or urban areas will increase till 2050 enormously. The present paper investigated the effect of urbanization on mental health.

METHODS

We systematically searched electronic databases (Medline, Health Evidence and Google Scholar) for systematic reviews and single studies.

RESULTS

Analyzed findings showed mostly increased incidence or prevalence ratios for the occurence of schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders and depression. The relationship between urbanisation and mental health among immigrants (migration: country to city) is not clearly established. Sociodemographic and economic factors have a moderating effect. Urbanization is not conceptualised in a uniform way.

CONCLUSION

Further research is needed with standardized and consistent approaches of urbanization as well as focusing current birth cohorts.