School of Economics, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 28;19(1):303. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19010303.
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.
Participants were from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a nationally representative sample of residents aged 45 years and older ( = 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.
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, < 0.01), especially among females (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.01-1.14, < 0.05), middle-aged adults (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.06-1.19, < 0.001), rural-to-urban migrants who had not obtained an urban (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.07-1.19, < 0.001), and those who had low migration frequency and first migrated out at 35 years of age or older. Chronic disease (17.98%, < 0.001), physical injury (7.04%, < 0.001), medical expenditure (7.98%, < 0.001), pension insurance (4.91%, < 0.001), and parent-child interaction (4.45%, < 0.01) were shown to mediate the association of internal migration experience with depressive symptoms.
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.
本研究旨在探讨中年和老年人的国内迁移经历与抑郁症状之间的关联，并探讨这种关系的可能机制。
参与者来自中国健康与退休纵向研究（CHARLS），这是一项针对 45 岁及以上居民的全国代表性样本（=43854 人）。抑郁症状和国内迁移经历的调查数据分别来自 CHARLS 每两年一次的调查（CHARLS 2011/2013/2015 年）和 2014 年的一项独特的 CHARLS 生活史调查。统计分析采用了多逻辑回归和卡尔森-霍尔姆-布林（KHB）方法。
中年和老年人的抑郁症状总体患病率为 34.6%。国内迁移经历与抑郁症状的风险增加有关（OR=1.07，95%CI=1.02-1.12，<0.01），尤其是在女性（OR=1.08，95%CI=1.01-1.14，<0.05）、中年（OR=1.12，95%CI=1.06-1.19，<0.001）、农村到城市的移民中那些没有获得城市户籍的人（OR=1.13，95%CI=1.07-1.19，<0.001），以及那些迁移频率较低且首次迁移年龄在 35 岁及以上的人。慢性病（17.98%，<0.001）、身体损伤（7.04%，<0.001）、医疗支出（7.98%，<0.001）、养老保险（4.91%，<0.001）和亲子互动（4.45%，<0.01）被证明可以介导国内迁移经历与抑郁症状之间的关联。
本研究表明，国内迁移经历与晚年发生抑郁的高风险之间存在显著关联。建议减少移民的制度障碍，并实施基于证据的干预措施，以改善移民的心理健康。
