PloS one
Volume 11, Issue 4, 2016

Association between Spouse/Child Separation and Migration-Related Stress among a Random Sample of Rural-to-Urban Migrants in Wuhan, China (Article) (Open Access)

Guo Y. , Chen X. , Gong J. , Li F. , Zhu C. , Yan Y. , Wang L.
  • a Wuhan Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, Wuhan, China
  • b Wuhan Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, Wuhan, China, Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States, Pediatric Prevention Research Center, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
  • c Wuhan Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, Wuhan, China
  • d Wuhan Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, Wuhan, China
  • e Wuhan Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, Wuhan, China
  • f Wuhan Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, Wuhan, China
  • g Wuhan Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, Wuhan, China

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Millions of people move from rural areas to urban areas in China to pursue new opportunities while leaving their spouses and children at rural homes. Little is known about the impact of migration-related separation on mental health of these rural migrants in urban China. METHODS: Survey data from a random sample of rural-to-urban migrants (n = 1113, aged 18-45) from Wuhan were analyzed. The Domestic Migration Stress Questionnaire (DMSQ), an instrument with four subconstructs, was used to measure migration-related stress. The relationship between spouse/child separation and stress was assessed using survey estimation methods to account for the multi-level sampling design. RESULTS: 16.46% of couples were separated from their spouses (spouse-separation only), 25.81% of parents were separated from their children (child separation only). Among the participants who married and had children, 5.97% were separated from both their spouses and children (double separation). Spouse-separation only and double separation did not scored significantly higher on DMSQ than those with no separation. Compared to parents without child separation, parents with child separation scored significantly higher on DMSQ (mean score = 2.88, 95% CI: [2.81, 2.95] vs. 2.60 [2.53, 2.67], p < .05). Stratified analysis by separation type and by gender indicated that the association was stronger for child-separation only and for female participants. CONCLUSION: Child-separation is an important source of migration-related stress, and the effect is particularly strong for migrant women. Public policies and intervention programs should consider these factors to encourage and facilitate the co-migration of parents with their children to mitigate migration-related stress.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

China Spouses Population Dynamics mental health human trends middle aged statistics and numerical data rural population Stress, Psychological mental stress Surveys and Questionnaires Humans psychology Adolescent male female spouse Cities questionnaire prevention and control diagnosis city adult migration Transients and Migrants divorce pathophysiology Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85015351312&doi=10.1371%2fjournal.pone.0154252&partnerID=40&md5=5050849a5f4f8181a646d251cbb478f3
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154252
ISSN: 19326203
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English