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Language barriers and health status of elderly migrants: Micro-evidence from China

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  • Lu, Shengfeng
  • Chen, Sixia
  • Wang, Peigang

Abstract

This paper empirically examines the effect of language barrier on elderly migrants' health status by exploiting individual-level data from the “China National Health Survey of Migrants 2015” database. We build an indicator of language barrier with geographical distribution information of Chinese dialect regions, and further separate the language effect from the migration effect by checking whether migrants move into a region with a different dialect. Results indicate a significant and negative impact of the language barrier on the health status of elderly migrants. Specifically, a language barrier results in poorer health conditions for younger elders. The mechanism test shows that a language barrier reduces migrants' abilities to build a social network, which is harmful to their health. Elderly migrants who are less-educated, live in host residence for a shorter time and move for business incentives suffer more from a language barrier. This study proves the power of a verbal language barrier to migrants' health.

Suggested Citation

  • Lu, Shengfeng & Chen, Sixia & Wang, Peigang, 2019. "Language barriers and health status of elderly migrants: Micro-evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 94-112.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:54:y:2019:i:c:p:94-112
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2018.10.011
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    Cited by:

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    2. Zhang, Wenwu & Luo, Le & Gu, Lianglian, 2023. "An empirical study on urban integration of Chinese elderly individuals with migration in periods of economic transformation: Internal mechanism and economic effects," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 170-181.
    3. Ye Zhu & Weiyu Cao & Xin Li & Ran Liu, 2022. "The Role of Housing Tenure Opportunities in the Social Integration of the Aging Pre-1970 Migrants in Beijing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-23, June.
    4. Chen, Zhongfei & Chen, Fanglin & Zhou, Mengling, 2021. "Does social trust affect corporate environmental performance in China?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    5. Xiao He & Furong Zhang & Hongdan Zhao & Jie Li, 2022. "How Migration in Later Life Shapes Their Quality of Life: A Qualitative Investigation of the Well-Being of the “Drifting Elderly” in China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 909-933, April.
    6. Fu, Minghui & Liu, Chuanjiang & Yang, Mian, 2020. "Effects of public health policies on the health status and medical service utilization of Chinese internal migrants," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    7. Jeromey Temple & Tom Wilson & Bianca Brijnath & Ariane Utomo & Peter McDonald, 2022. "English Language Proficiency Among Older Migrants in Australia, 2016–2046," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 403-429, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Language barrier; Health status; Dialect region; Difference-in-differences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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