McLean Estelle, Dube Albert, Kalobekamo Fredrick, Slaymaker Emma, Crampin Amelia C, Sear Rebecca
Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Wellcome Open Res. 2024 Mar 18;8:211. doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.19309.2. eCollection 2023.
In sub-Saharan Africa, migration of young people is common and occurs for a variety of reasons. Research focus is often on international or long-distance internal migration; however, shorter moves also affect people's lives and can reveal important information about cultures and societies. In rural sub-Saharan Africa, migration may be influenced by cultural norms and family considerations: these may be changing due to demographic shifts, urbanisation, and increased media access.
We used longitudinal data from a Health and Demographic Surveillance Site in rural northern Malawi to present a detailed investigation of migration in young people between 2004-2017. Our focus is on the cultural effects of gender and family, and separate migrations into short and long distance, and independent and accompanied, as these different move types are likely to represent very different events in a young person's life. We use descriptive analyses multi-level multinomial logistic regression modelling.
RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: We found two key periods of mobility 1) in very young childhood and 2) in adolescence/young adulthood. In this traditionally patrilocal area, we found that young women move longer distances to live with their spouse, and also were more likely to return home after a marriage ends, rather than remain living independently. Young people living close to relatives tend to have lower chances of moving, and despite the local patrilineal customs, we found evidence of the importance of the maternal family. Female and male children may be treated differently from as young as age 4, with girls more likely to migrate long distances independently, and more likely to accompany their mothers in other moves.
在撒哈拉以南非洲地区，年轻人的迁移现象很常见，且原因多种多样。研究重点通常是国际或远距离的国内迁移；然而，较短距离的迁移也会影响人们的生活，并能揭示有关文化和社会的重要信息。在撒哈拉以南非洲农村地区，迁移可能受到文化规范和家庭因素的影响：由于人口结构变化、城市化以及媒体接触机会增加，这些因素可能正在发生改变。
我们使用了来自马拉维北部农村一个健康与人口监测点的纵向数据，对2004年至2017年间年轻人的迁移情况进行了详细调查。我们关注性别和家庭的文化影响，并将迁移分为短距离和长距离、独立迁移和陪同迁移，因为这些不同的迁移类型在年轻人的生活中可能代表着截然不同的事件。我们使用描述性分析和多层次多项逻辑回归模型。
我们发现了两个关键的流动时期：1）幼儿期；2）青春期/青年期。在这个传统上实行父系居住制的地区，我们发现年轻女性迁移到更远的地方与配偶生活在一起，而且在婚姻结束后更有可能返回家中，而不是继续独立生活。与亲属住得近的年轻人迁移的可能性较低，尽管当地有父系习俗，但我们发现了母系家庭重要性的证据。男女儿童从4岁起可能就受到不同对待，女孩更有可能独立进行长距离迁移，在其他迁移中也更有可能与母亲一起。
