Language barriers and health inequality: Examining access to healthcare for migrants with chronic illnesses in China.

OBJECTIVES

This study examines how language barriers impact healthcare access and education for Chinese migrants with chronic diseases, focusing on linguistic challenges unique to internal migration. By addressing regional dialect diversity within a single nation, it broadens the scope of language barrier studies and contributes to understanding how linguistic inequalities shape healthcare access, offering insights for multilingual societies worldwide.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis using data from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey.

METHODS

The primary analysis uses a probit model to assess the impact of language barriers on healthcare access. Logit and OLS models are also employed for robustness checks, ensuring consistency across different methodologies. Additionally, a placebo test is conducted to confirm that the observed effects are not due to random variation, validating the robustness of the findings.

RESULTS

The findings reveal that increasing language barriers significantly decrease the likelihood of migrants accessing health services and participating in health education programs. The impact is particularly pronounced among male, less-educated, and older migrants. Mechanisms contributing to these outcomes include heightened social exclusion, perceived differences in hygiene practices, and reduced awareness of health policies. These findings align with international evidence, demonstrating that language barriers universally hinder healthcare access for migrant populations in diverse linguistic contexts.

CONCLUSIONS

Language barriers hinder healthcare access for migrants with chronic diseases. By addressing linguistic challenges in internal migration, this study expands language barrier research and highlights the need for multilingual services and culturally tailored policies to improve health equity in diverse societies.