Dakua Manoj, Lhungdim Hemkhothang
International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, 400088, India.
Department of Public Health and Mortality Studies, International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, 400088, India.
BMC Geriatr. 2025 Sep 22;25(1):690. doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-06220-0.
Population ageing is a growing demographic concern in the twenty-first century, with health declining as individuals age. In India, migration, particularly among single males, disrupts traditional caregiving systems, affecting older parents’ health. This study aims to examine the impact of adult son migration on the health and wellbeing of older parents, as well as shifts in caregiving patterns among left-behind parents.
For this present study, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in Koch Bihar of West Bengal. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were employed to assess physical and subjective health status as well as caregiving patterns, emphasizing the impact of adult sons’ migration on the wellbeing of their parents.
The study shows that parents with migrant sons face significant health and caregiving challenges compared to those with non-migrant sons. Around 18% of parents with migrant sons rated their health as poor, with a higher likelihood of chronic ailments, psychological distress, and loneliness. The log β coefficients were 0.29 for psychological distress scores and 0.82 for loneliness among older parents of migrant sons. Nearly 7 out of 10 of the parents of migrants were reported suffering from any chronic ailment, whereas the prevalence of any chronic ailment was 57% among the parents of non-migrants. Caregiving support, particularly during acute illnesses and hospitalizations, was lower for these parents, with non-familial members often stepping in. There was also a reduction in family support for Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Generation-wise living arrangements and gender influence these effects.
Parents of migrants often experience poorer health, chronic morbidity, psychological distress, and loneliness compared to parents of non-migrants. Despite family members being primary caregivers, parents of migrants were more likely to rely on non-family caregivers and take on financial responsibility for their care. The study highlights the need for eldercare strategies to address the caregiving gaps in areas with high adult out-migration, particularly considering generational and gender influences.
人口老龄化是21世纪日益受到关注的人口问题，随着个体年龄增长，健康状况会下降。在印度，移民现象，尤其是单身男性的移民，扰乱了传统的照料体系，影响老年父母的健康。本研究旨在探讨成年儿子移民对老年父母健康和福祉的影响，以及留守父母照料模式的变化。
在本研究中，对西孟加拉邦的科奇比哈尔进行了横断面调查。采用描述性统计和回归分析来评估身体和主观健康状况以及照料模式，重点关注成年儿子移民对其父母福祉的影响。
研究表明，与儿子未移民的父母相比，儿子移民的父母面临重大的健康和照料挑战。约18%的儿子移民的父母将自己的健康状况评为较差，患慢性病、心理困扰和孤独感的可能性更高。在儿子移民的老年父母中，心理困扰得分的对数β系数为0.29，孤独感的对数β系数为0.82。近十分之七的移民父母被报告患有某种慢性病，而非移民父母中这一比例为57%。这些父母在急性疾病和住院期间获得的照料支持较低，非家庭成员经常介入。对日常生活活动（ADL）的家庭支持也有所减少。代际生活安排和性别会影响这些影响。
与非移民父母相比，移民父母的健康状况往往较差，患有慢性疾病、心理困扰和孤独感。尽管家庭成员是主要照料者，但移民父母更有可能依赖非家庭照料者，并承担照料的经济责任。该研究强调需要制定老年照料策略，以解决成年人口外流率高的地区的照料缺口问题，特别是要考虑到代际和性别的影响。
