British Journal of Psychiatry
Volume 195, Issue 1, 2009, Pages 54-60

Rural-urban migration and depression in ageing family members left behind (Article) (Open Access)

Abas M.A. , Punpuing S. , Jirapramukpitak T. , Guest P. , Tangchonlatip K. , Leese M. , Prince M.
  • a HSPRD, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, PO 60, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom
  • b Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
  • c Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Pathumani, Thailand
  • d Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
  • e Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
  • f HSPRD, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, PO 60, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom
  • g HSPRD, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, PO 60, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom

Abstract

Background: It has been suggested that rural-urban migration will have adverse consequences for older parents left behind. Aims: To describe correlates of outmigration and to estimate any association between outmigration of children and depression in rural-dwelling older parents. Method: Population-based survey of 1147 parents aged 60 and over in rural Thailand. We randomly oversampled parents living without children. We defined an outmigrant child as living outside their parent's district, and measured depression as a continuous outcome with a Thai version of the EURO-D. Results: Outmigration of all children, compared with outmigration of some or no children, was independently associated with less depression in parents. This association remained after taking account of social support, parent characteristics, health and wealth. Parents with all children outmigrated received more economic remittances and they perceived support to be as good as that of those with children close by. Conclusions: Outmigration of children was not associated with greater depression in older parents and, after taking account of a range of possible covariables, was actually associated with less parental depression. This could be explained by pre-existing advantages in families sending more migrants and by the economic benefits of migration.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Parents residential mobility urban area rural area depression Thailand human middle aged aging controlled study Aged Adaptation, Psychological Depressive Disorder social support rural health Intergenerational Relations Humans family male female Aged, 80 and over cognition Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics questionnaire Article health care major clinical study adult migration random sample outcome assessment Emigration and Immigration child parent relation
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-67650895696&doi=10.1192%2fbjp.bp.108.056143&partnerID=40&md5=e03f4b991abb995d1fa0670bb6285bd8
DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.108.056143
ISSN: 00071250
Cited by: 51
Original Language: English