The impact of individual and social environmental factors on the health of elderly migrants in China: an analysis based on social-ecological systems theory.

BACKGROUND

With the increasing number of elderly migrants in China, ensuring their health and access to healthcare services have become a significant public health challenge. The social environment of elderly migrants is composed of multiple interconnected systems, each of which exerts a complex and multidimensional influence on their health. This study investigates how individual and social environmental factors affect the health of elderly migrants in China.

METHODS

Data from 4,744 respondents were obtained from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey. Guided by social-ecological systems theory, we explored the relationship between individual and social environmental factors and the health outcomes of elderly migrants using binary logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Individual factors, such as gender, age, education level, and average monthly household income, were found to significantly affect the self-rated health of the respondents. Furthermore, social environmental factors, including types of social interactions, the establishment of health records, the amount of health knowledge acquired, and travel time to medical institutions, also had a notable influence on the health of elderly migrants.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that individual and social environmental factors significantly influence the health of elderly migrants. To improve their health, targeted strategies should focus on fostering diverse social networks, enhancing comprehensive health education, optimizing public health services, and creating an equitable institutional framework.