IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v12y2015i2p2205-2214d45940.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Health-Related Quality of Life and Health Service Utilization in Chinese Rural-to-Urban Migrant Workers

Author

Listed:
  • Chu-Hong Lu

    (Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182, China
    Institute of Public Health, School of Nursing, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China)

  • Zhong-Cheng Luo

    (Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China)

  • Jia-Ji Wang

    (Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182, China)

  • Jian-Hu Zhong

    (Community Health Services Center of Liaobu, Dongguan 523401, China)

  • Pei-Xi Wang

    (Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182, China
    Institute of Public Health, School of Nursing, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China)

Abstract

Objectives : The number of rural-to-urban migrant workers has been increasing rapidly in China over recent decades, but there is a scarcity of data on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and health service utilization among Chinese rural-to-urban migrant workers in comparison to local urban residents. We aimed to address this question. Methods : This was a cross-sectional study of 2315 rural-to-urban migrant workers and 2347 local urban residents in the Shenzhen-Dongguan economic zone (China) in 2013. Outcomes included HRQOL (measured by Health Survey Short Form 36) and health service utilization (self-reported). Results : Compared to local urban residents, rural-to-urban migrant workers had lower scores in all domains of HRQOL, and were more likely to report chronic illnesses (9.2% vs. 6.0%, adjusted OR = 1.62, 95% CI 1.28–2.04) and recent two-week morbidity (21.3% vs. 5.0%, adjusted OR = 5.41, 95% CI 4.26–6.88). Among individuals who reported sickness in the recent two weeks, migrant workers were much less likely to see a doctor (32.7% vs. 66.7%, adjusted OR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.13–0.36). Conclusions : Chinese rural-to-urban migrant workers have lower HRQOL, much more frequent morbidity, but are also much less likely to see a doctor in times of sickness as compared to local urban residents, indicating the existence of significant unmet medical care needs in this population.

Suggested Citation

  • Chu-Hong Lu & Zhong-Cheng Luo & Jia-Ji Wang & Jian-Hu Zhong & Pei-Xi Wang, 2015. "Health-Related Quality of Life and Health Service Utilization in Chinese Rural-to-Urban Migrant Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-10, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:2:p:2205-2214:d:45940
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/12/2/2205/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/12/2/2205/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Su-Ying Tsai, 2012. "A Study of the Health-Related Quality of Life and Work-Related Stress of White-Collar Migrant Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-15, October.
    2. Wang, Bo & Li, Xiaoming & Stanton, Bonita & Fang, Xiaoyi, 2010. "The influence of social stigma and discriminatory experience on psychological distress and quality of life among rural-to-urban migrants in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 84-92, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jingya Zhang & Senlin Lin & Di Liang & Yi Qian & Donglan Zhang & Zhiyuan Hou, 2017. "Public Health Services Utilization and Its Determinants among Internal Migrants in China: Evidence from a Nationally Representative Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-12, September.
    2. Kiet Tuan Huy Pham & Long Hoang Nguyen & Quan-Hoang Vuong & Manh-Tung Ho & Thu-Trang Vuong & Hong-Kong T. Nguyen & Giang Thu Vu & Huong Lan Thi Nguyen & Bach Xuan Tran & Carl A. Latkin & Cyrus S. H. H, 2019. "Health Inequality between Migrant and Non-Migrant Workers in an Industrial Zone of Vietnam," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-11, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jun-Qing Wu & Ke-Wei Wang & Rui Zhao & Yu-Yan Li & Ying Zhou & Yi-Ran Li & Hong-Lei Ji & Ming Ji, 2014. "Male Rural-to-Urban Migrants and Risky Sexual Behavior: A Cross-Sectional Study in Shanghai, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-19, March.
    2. Xiang Kang & Mingxi Du & Siqin Wang & Haifeng Du, 2022. "Exploring the Effect of Health on Migrants’ Social Integration in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-20, April.
    3. Zhilin Liu & Yiming Tan & Yanwei Chai, 2020. "Neighbourhood-scale public spaces, inter-group attitudes and migrant integration in Beijing, China," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(12), pages 2491-2509, September.
    4. Ming Guan & Hongyi Guan, 2024. "Sense of community and residential well-being among rural-urban migrants in China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Cuihong Long & Jiajun Han & Yong Liu, 2020. "Has Rural-Urban Migration Promoted the Health of Chinese Migrant Workers?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-22, February.
    6. Min Yang & Martin Dijst & Marco Helbich, 2018. "Mental Health among Migrants in Shenzhen, China: Does it Matter Whether the Migrant Population is Identified by Hukou or Birthplace?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-11, November.
    7. Winky Wong & Kee-Lee Chou & Nelson Chow, 2012. "Correlates of Quality of Life in New Migrants to Hong Kong from Mainland China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 107(2), pages 373-391, June.
    8. Liyan Huang & Hong Ching Goh & Rosli Said, 2023. "Understanding the social integration process of rural–urban migrants in urban china: a bibliometrics review," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 1-34, December.
    9. Isabella Ng & Siu-yau Lee & Winky Wong & Kee-Lee Chou, 2015. "Effects of Perceived Discrimination on the Quality of Life Among New Mainland Chinese Immigrants to Hong Kong: A Longitudinal Study," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 120(3), pages 817-834, February.
    10. Bao-Liang Zhong & Tie-Bang Liu & Jian-Xing Huang & Helene H Fung & Sandra S M Chan & Yeates Conwell & Helen F K Chiu, 2016. "Acculturative Stress of Chinese Rural-To-Urban Migrant Workers: A Qualitative Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(6), pages 1-15, June.
    11. Xinguang Chen & Bin Yu & Jie Gong & Peigang Wang & Amy L. Elliott, 2018. "Social Capital Associated with Quality of Life Mediated by Employment Experiences: Evidence from a Random Sample of Rural-to-Urban Migrants in China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 139(1), pages 327-346, August.
    12. Chmura, Thorsten & Goerg, Sebastian J. & Weiss, Pia, 2016. "Natural groups and economic characteristics as driving forces of wage discrimination," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 178-200.
    13. Kiet Tuan Huy Pham & Long Hoang Nguyen & Quan-Hoang Vuong & Manh-Tung Ho & Thu-Trang Vuong & Hong-Kong T. Nguyen & Giang Thu Vu & Huong Lan Thi Nguyen & Bach Xuan Tran & Carl A. Latkin & Cyrus S. H. H, 2019. "Health Inequality between Migrant and Non-Migrant Workers in an Industrial Zone of Vietnam," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-11, April.
    14. Chenggang Zhang & Jingbo Fan, 2013. "A Study of the Perception of Health Risks among College Students in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-17, May.
    15. Wei-hsin Yu & Chi-Tsun Chiu, 2016. "Growing Pains: Changes in Psychological Well-Being in Urban China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 129(3), pages 1349-1382, December.
    16. Zhang, Nan & Nazroo, James & Vanhoutte, Bram, 2021. "The relationship between rural to urban migration in China and risk of depression in later life: An investigation of life course effects," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    17. Rongwei Chu & Henry Hail, 2014. "Winding Road Toward the Chinese Dream: The U-shaped Relationship Between Income and Life Satisfaction Among Chinese Migrant Workers," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(1), pages 235-246, August.
    18. Yanwei Lin & Qi Zhang & Wen Chen & Jingrong Shi & Siqi Han & Xiaolei Song & Yong Xu & Li Ling, 2016. "Association between Social Integration and Health among Internal Migrants in ZhongShan, China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(2), pages 1-15, February.
    19. Yabiku, Scott T. & Agadjanian, Victor & Cau, Boaventura, 2012. "Labor migration and child mortality in Mozambique," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2530-2538.
    20. Zheng Wang & Fangzhu Zhang & Fulong Wu, 2016. "Intergroup neighbouring in urban China: Implications for the social integration of migrants," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 53(4), pages 651-668, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:2:p:2205-2214:d:45940. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.