Sociology Department, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 4;19(23):16227. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192316227.
Is the migration process likely to lead to sustained changes in individual social networks and health status? There are many controversies about the relationship between migrants' networks and migrants' health. An important reason may be that the constraints of specific social contexts on immigrant networks and health consequences are neglected. This study distinguished two types of social networks of international immigrants to China-their Chinese networks (Chinese-Net) and home-country networks (Motherland-Net). In addition, the study investigated the construction basis of immigrant social networks and health effects based on the Chinese context.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The survey was carried out by an on-site questionnaire survey of foreigners in China in the entry-exit hall of the National Immigration Administration. The survey asked foreigners about their immigration experience, labor and employment, social networks, and access to health care.
Immigrants from more developed countries are more likely to succeed in establishing Chinese-Net and reduce the dependence on Motherland-Net. The Japanese and South Korean immigrants tended to be associated with their home-country compatriots, excluding the Chinese from social contacts and immigration networks. The mixed residence of non-home-country immigrants reduces both the Motherland-Net and Chinese-Net of international immigrants. From the perspective of the health effect, the establishment and expansion of Chinese-Net did not present the "bright side" of encouraging immigrants to reach a better health status. In contrast, Motherland-Net has a stronger explanatory power for the health changes in immigrants.
移民过程是否可能导致个体社交网络和健康状况的持续变化？关于移民网络与移民健康之间的关系存在许多争议。一个重要的原因可能是忽视了特定社会环境对移民网络和健康后果的制约。本研究将国际移民在中国的两种社交网络类型区分开来——他们的中国社交网络（中国网）和原籍国社交网络（祖国网）。此外，该研究还基于中国背景，探讨了移民社交网络的构建基础及其对健康的影响。
本研究采用 2017 年、2018 年和 2019 年的横断面调查。该调查是在中国国家移民管理局出入境大厅对在中国的外国人进行现场问卷调查进行的。调查询问了外国人的移民经历、劳动就业、社交网络以及获得医疗保健的情况。
来自发达国家的移民更有可能成功建立中国网，并减少对祖国网的依赖。日本和韩国移民往往与本国同胞交往，将中国人排除在社交和移民网络之外。非原籍国移民的混合居住减少了国际移民的祖国网和中国网。从健康影响的角度来看，中国网的建立和扩大并没有呈现出鼓励移民达到更好健康状况的“积极面”。相比之下，祖国网对移民健康变化的解释力更强。
