%0 Journal Article
%T Migration and depressive symptoms in migrant-sending areas: Findings from the survey of internal migration and health in China
%J International journal of public health
%D 2012
%A Lu, Yao
%A Hu, Peifeng
%A Treiman, Donald J.
%V 57
%N 4
%P 691-698
%X OBJECTIVES: China has experienced large-scale internal migration and growing mental health disorders. Limited research has examined the relationship between the two processes. We examined the association between labor out-migration and depressive symptoms of family members left behind in migrant-sending areas. METHODS: We conducted a multistage probability sample survey of Chinese adults in 2008 ("Internal Migration and Health in China"), including 787 people in rural migrant-sending areas. To study whether adults in out-migrant households were more likely to experience depressive symptoms (CES-D) than were adults in non-migrant households, we used multivariate regressions and adjusted for a wide range of confounding factors and for the complex sampling design. RESULTS: Adults in households with labor out-migrants were more likely to report depressive symptoms than those in households without out-migrants, presumably a result of the absence of family members. However, monetary remittances from labor migrants buffered the mental health costs of out-migration. CONCLUSIONS: Labor out-migration has important consequences for the mental health in migrant-sending communities. There is an urgent need to address the psychological costs of migration and to promote regular remittances.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group
%@ 1661-8556
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00038-011-0314-0