It has been estimated that there are now about 100 million economic migrants ‘floating’ in China's cities and towns. Although these rural people are subjected to profound discrimination vis-‡-vis employment, welfare, court-ship and legal rights, their mental health problems are largely unknown. The present study examines retrospectively the psychiatric morbidity and treatment of 112 migrant workers who were hospitalized in the only psychiatric hospital in Shenzhen, China's first special economic zone, over a 2-year period. The most common reason for hospitalization was socially intolerable behaviour and the most common diagnosis was schizophreniform psychosis. More female than male patients seemed to have social precipitants, which were most commonly labour conflicts and love or marital problems. Most patients improved with treatment but, because of the lack of health insurance coverage, 25% of them were discharged against medical recommendation. Since access to health services for less socially disruptive psychiatric disorders among migrants is greatly limited, empowering social and health policies are essential for enhancing their health status. The findings of the present study challenge the Chinese state as to how far it should pursue rapid economic growth without giving adequate attention to its adverse impact on the nation's health and health care. © 1999, Sage Publications. All rights reserved.

psychiatric disorder China Access to care economic migrant

China major clinical study hospitalization social welfare Article employment mental disease health care cost human migration psychosis