Self-rated health among elders in different outmigration areas—a case study of rural Anhui, China
Abstract China has been a rapid growing economy in recent decades. Part of its economic development engine comes from internal rural-urban migration. The decades-long rural-urban migration is the result of China’s long-lasting uneven development between its urban and rural areas and its income and r...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2019-07-01
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| Series: | The Journal of Chinese Sociology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40711-019-0096-y |
| _version_ | 1811273259765727232 |
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| author | Weizhen Dong |
| author_facet | Weizhen Dong |
| author_sort | Weizhen Dong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract China has been a rapid growing economy in recent decades. Part of its economic development engine comes from internal rural-urban migration. The decades-long rural-urban migration is the result of China’s long-lasting uneven development between its urban and rural areas and its income and resource distribution inequality. Rural Anhui is one of the most affected outmigration regions of China. The absence of young and middle-aged villagers changed its natural villages’ demographics. It broke the self-sufficient rural family structure and their traditional lifestyle with no societal infrastructure to replace family support. Meanwhile, it created aging communities—particularly in relatively poorer villages. This study investigates rural elder villagers’ perception of their physical health in the context of rural-urban migration. It explores the reality of the left-behind rural aging population—their real life challenges and regional disparities reflected in their self-rated health status: those who are living in a relatively poorer region (county) tend to have significantly lower self-rated health (SRH) scores than their counterparts in wealthier areas. Women tend to have lower SRH scores than men, and living alone elders tend to perceive their own physical health to be poorer than others. These findings also show that regional economic condition affect individual lives, women are more vulnerable, and healthy personal interaction is an essential element for wellbeing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:55:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-989bf221b2b04c0c8185343c1eec5126 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2198-2635 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:55:56Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Journal of Chinese Sociology |
| spelling | doaj.art-989bf221b2b04c0c8185343c1eec51262022-12-22T03:13:11ZengSpringerOpenThe Journal of Chinese Sociology2198-26352019-07-016111810.1186/s40711-019-0096-ySelf-rated health among elders in different outmigration areas—a case study of rural Anhui, ChinaWeizhen Dong0University of WaterlooAbstract China has been a rapid growing economy in recent decades. Part of its economic development engine comes from internal rural-urban migration. The decades-long rural-urban migration is the result of China’s long-lasting uneven development between its urban and rural areas and its income and resource distribution inequality. Rural Anhui is one of the most affected outmigration regions of China. The absence of young and middle-aged villagers changed its natural villages’ demographics. It broke the self-sufficient rural family structure and their traditional lifestyle with no societal infrastructure to replace family support. Meanwhile, it created aging communities—particularly in relatively poorer villages. This study investigates rural elder villagers’ perception of their physical health in the context of rural-urban migration. It explores the reality of the left-behind rural aging population—their real life challenges and regional disparities reflected in their self-rated health status: those who are living in a relatively poorer region (county) tend to have significantly lower self-rated health (SRH) scores than their counterparts in wealthier areas. Women tend to have lower SRH scores than men, and living alone elders tend to perceive their own physical health to be poorer than others. These findings also show that regional economic condition affect individual lives, women are more vulnerable, and healthy personal interaction is an essential element for wellbeing.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40711-019-0096-ySelf-rated healthEldersMigrationRegional disparityRuralChina |
| spellingShingle | Weizhen Dong Self-rated health among elders in different outmigration areas—a case study of rural Anhui, China The Journal of Chinese Sociology Self-rated health Elders Migration Regional disparity Rural China |
| title | Self-rated health among elders in different outmigration areas—a case study of rural Anhui, China |
| title_full | Self-rated health among elders in different outmigration areas—a case study of rural Anhui, China |
| title_fullStr | Self-rated health among elders in different outmigration areas—a case study of rural Anhui, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-rated health among elders in different outmigration areas—a case study of rural Anhui, China |
| title_short | Self-rated health among elders in different outmigration areas—a case study of rural Anhui, China |
| title_sort | self rated health among elders in different outmigration areas a case study of rural anhui china |
| topic | Self-rated health Elders Migration Regional disparity Rural China |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40711-019-0096-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT weizhendong selfratedhealthamongeldersindifferentoutmigrationareasacasestudyofruralanhuichina |