Hostname: page-component-74d7c59bfc-tcgtt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-01-26T17:52:50.142Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mental health of older migrants migrating along with adult children in China: a systematic review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 September 2020

Julia Juan Wang Open the ORCID record for Julia Juan Wang [Opens in a new window]  and
Daniel W. L. Lai Open the ORCID record for Daniel W. L. Lai [Opens in a new window]
Julia Juan Wang
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Shenzhen Elderly Healthcare College, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen, China
Daniel W. L. Lai*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
*
*Corresponding author. Email: daniel_lai@hkbu.edu.hk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Due to urbanisation in China, about 7.74 million older people have migrated to urban centres, where their adult children reside and work, to care for their grandchildren. While older migrants may benefit from family reunion and mutual support, empirical studies have identified challenges to adaptation, integration and mental health. Employing a systematic literature review approach, this paper examines recent empirical studies on the mental health of older migrants migrating along with adult children in China, focusing on mental health and wellbeing outcomes and determinants and directions for social work interventions. It identifies directions for considering diversity in conceptualisations of mental health and in theoretical perspectives to enrich understanding of the experiences of Chinese older migrants migrating along with adult children and potential interventions.

Keywords

mental healthChinese older migrantsmigrating alongsystematic review

Information

Type
Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 42 , Issue 4 , April 2022 , pp. 786 - 811
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Bao, FC (2017) Sui qian lao ren de cheng shi shi ying wen ti tan xi [A deep exploration of the urban adaptation of the trailing elderly]. Journal of Lanzhou Institution of Technology 24, 102–105.Google Scholar
Barry, MM (2008) The Influence of Social, Demographic and Physical Factors on Positive Mental Health in Children, Adults and Older People. London: Government Office of Science and Innovation. Available at http://hdl.handle.net/10379/2684.Google Scholar
Byers, AL, Lai, AX, Arean, P, Nelson, JC and Yaffe, K (2016) Mental health service use across the life course among adults with psychiatric disorders and prior suicidal behavior. Psychiatric Services (Washington, DC) 67, 452–455.10.1176/appi.ps.201500019CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and State Council (2014) Guo jia xin xing cheng zhen hua gui hua (2014–2020) [National Plan on New Urbanization (2014–2020)]. Available at http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/2014-03/16/content_2640075.htm.Google Scholar
Chen, SG (2014) Sui qian lao ren de cheng shi shi ying wen ti yan jiu [On Adaptation of the Elderly Migrating to City ]. Journal of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (Social Sciences) 16, 59–62.Google Scholar
Chen, SG (2015) Sui qian lao ren cheng shi shi ying ying xiang yin su de shi zheng yan jiu [Empirical study on the factors affecting the urban adaptation of the elderly migrating to the city]. Journal of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University 18, 70–73.Google Scholar
Chen, HM and Lewis, DC (2015) Chinese grandparents’ involvement in their adult children's parenting practices in the United States. Contemporary Family Therapy 37, 58–71.10.1007/s10591-014-9321-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, SG, Liao, ZK and Li, QC (2017) Sui qian lao ren cheng shi shi ying ji she hui gong zuo jie ru: yi Fuzhou mou she qu wei li [Urban Adaptation of the Elderly Migrants and Social Work Involved: Based on a Community in Fuzhou]. Journal of Huaihua University 36, 43–45.Google Scholar
Deng, CK and Wang, Y (2016) Hangzhou shi Chaoming she qu sui qian lao ren QOL yu she hui zhi chi diao cha [Survey on QOL and social support of older people migrating along in the Chaoming community of Hangzhou]. The Fortune Times 2, 264.Google Scholar
Di, KY and Fu, SP (2017) Cong piao bo dao an ding, lao piao zu de cheng shi rong ru: yi Xian shi wei li de shi zheng yan jiu [From drifting to stability: Social integration of the old drifting group in cities - an empirical study of Xi’an City]. Journal of Chifeng University 33, 106–108.Google Scholar
Dodge, R, Daly, A, Huyton, J and Sanders, L (2012) The challenge of defining wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing 2, 222–235.10.5502/ijw.v2i3.4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dou, X and Liu, Y (2017) Elderly migration in China: types, patterns, and determinants. Journal of Applied Gerontology 36, 751–771.10.1177/0733464815587966CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Evans, N, Andrew, EVW, Koffman, J, Harding, R, Higginson, IJ, Pool, R and Gysels, M (2012) Systematic review of the primary research on minority ethnic groups and end-of-life care from the United Kingdom. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 43, 261–286.10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2011.04.012CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guo, ZQ (2016) Piao bo, xiang cun ‘lao piao zu’ de liu dong shi jian: ji yu Shanxi yao cun de ge an yan jiu [Drifting: the practice of the rural older drifting group – exemplified by a case study of Yao Village in Shanxi]. Journal of Shanxi Agricultural University 15, 864–868.Google Scholar
Guo, SD and Wei, SS (2015) Shi zhe sheng cun: Guangxi sui qian lao ren cheng shi rong ru xian zhuang yu kun jing fen xi [On the analysis of the current situation and predicament of parents of migrant workers into urban integration in Guangxi]. Journal of Liuzhou Vocational and Technical College 15, 26–30.Google Scholar
Gupta, R (2009) Systems perspective: understanding care giving of the elderly in India. Health Care for Women International 30, 1040–1054.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
He, HT (2014) Dai ji guan xi shi jiao xia ‘lao piao zu’ de cheng shi shi ying yan jiu [Social adaptation for the older drifting group: on perspective of intergeneration]. Forward Position 9, 157–163.Google Scholar
Hu, YX, Long, LL and Yin, YQ (2013) Cheng shi lao piao zu de sheng ming zhi liang ji qi ying xiang yin su fen xi [Investigation on the quality of life and its influencing factors for elderly migrants in the city]. China Modern Doctor 51, 28–32.Google Scholar
Keyes, CLM (ed.) (2013) Mental Well-being: International Contributions to the Study of Positive Mental Health. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.10.1007/978-94-007-5195-8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lai, DWL, Li, L and Daoust, GD (2017) Factors influencing suicide behaviours in immigrant and ethno-cultural minority groups: a systematic review. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 19, 755–768.10.1007/s10903-016-0490-3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Li, MF (2017) Jin tui zhi jian: sui qian lao ren she hui shi ying wen ti yan jiu [Study on the social integration of older people migrating along in Changsha]. Southern Forum 3, 65–70.Google Scholar
Li, L, Zhang, ZN and Zhang, CL (2011) Sui qian lao ren de jing shen sheng huo yu she qu rong ru zhuang kuang de diao cha yan jiu: yi Nanjing shi wei li [The spiritual life and community integration of older people migrating along in Nanjing]. Legal System and Society 11, 185–186.Google Scholar
Li, QJ, Zhou, XD, Ma, S, Jiang, MM and Li, L (2017) The effect of migration on social capital and depression among older adults in China. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 52, 1513–1522.10.1007/s00127-017-1439-0CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liang, H and Guo, J (2018) Bu tong lei bie lao nian liu dong ren kou de te zheng bi jiao: ji yu 2015 nian guo jia wei sheng ji sheng wei liu dong ren kou dong tai jian ce shu ju de shi zheng fen xi [Comparison of characteristics of different types of elderly migrants: an empirical analysis based on dynamic monitoring data of migrants from the National Health and Family Planning Commission in 2015]. Population and Development 24, 94–108.Google Scholar
Liu, Q (2014). Piao bo yu gui gen: sui qian lao ren she hui ren tong de shi zheng fen xi [Drifting and the roots: an empirical analysis on the social identity of older people migrating along]. Study Monthly 7, 22–23.Google Scholar
Liu, YN (2016) She qu shi jiao xia lao piao zu she hui rong ru kun jing ji dui ce: ji yu Beijing she qu ‘bei piao lao ren’ de zhi xing yan jiu [The dilemma and countermeasures of the social integration of ‘the old drifters’ from the perspective of the community]. Social Security Studies 4, 34–43.Google Scholar
Liu, Q and Chen, SH (2015 a) The elderly migrants’ social adaptation. South China Population 30, 59–67.Google Scholar
Liu, Q and Chen, SH (2015 b) Sui qian lao ren jing shen jian kang zhuang kuang ji ying xiang yin su fen xi : ji yu Shenzhen shi de diao cha [Mental health of older people migrating along and related factors: a survey in Shenzhen]. Academic Journal of Zhongzhou 11, 73–77.Google Scholar
Liu, YF, Dijst, M and Geertman, S (2015) Residential segregation and well-being inequality over time: a study on the local and migrant elderly people in Shanghai. Cities 49, 1–13.10.1016/j.cities.2015.06.012CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moher, D, Liberati, A, Tetzlaff, J, Altman, DG and the PRISMA Group (2009) Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. Physical Therapy 89, 873–880.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
National Health and Family Planning Commission (2016) Report on China's Migrant Population Development (2016). Available at http://www.nhfpc.gov.cn/ldrks/s7847/201610/d17304b7b9024be38facb5524da48e78.shtml.Google Scholar
Ngan, R and Kwan, A (2002) The mental health status and long term care needs of the Chinese elderly in Hong Kong. Social Work in Health Care 35, 461–476.10.1300/J010v35n01_07CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peek, ST, Wouters, EJ, van Hoof, J, Luijkx, KG, Boeije, HR and Vrijhoef, HJ (2014) Factors influencing acceptance of technology for aging in place: a systematic review. International Journal of Medical Informatics 83, 235–248.10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2014.01.004CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Song, JH, Ye, WJ and Xie, J (2017) ‘Lao piao zu’ cheng shi rong ru de diao cha si kao: yi Suzhou wei li [A study on urban integration of the “older drifting group" -- Taking Suzhou as an example]. Journal of the Yinchuan Municipal Party College of CPC 19, 78–81.Google Scholar
Stenius, K (2007) Promoting mental health. Concepts, emerging evidence, practice. Addiction 102(12), 1991.Google Scholar
Sun, J (2012) Chinese older adults taking care of grandchildren: practices and policies for productive aging. Ageing International 38, 58–70.10.1007/s12126-012-9161-4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sun, JM (2015) Nong cun sui qian lao ren cheng shi shi ying wen ti de she hui gong zuo jie ru: ji yu ji ji lao ling hua shi jiao [Social work intervention for urban adaptation of rural–urban older people migrating along: based on a perspective of active ageing]. People's Tribune 36, 152–154.Google Scholar
Suzuki, R, Goebert, D, Ahmed, I and Lu, B (2015) Folk and biological perceptions of dementia among Asian ethnic minorities in Hawaii. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 23, 589–595.10.1016/j.jagp.2014.03.012CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tang, F, Xu, L, Chi, I and Dong, X (2016) Psychological well-being of older Chinese-American grandparents caring for grandchildren. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 64, 2356–2361.10.1111/jgs.14455CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tong, T, Bai, CL and Cao, WM (2017) Sui qian lao ren xin li jian kang, she hui zi ben xian zhuang ji qi zuo yong – yi Hangzhou sui qian lao ren wei li [A survey on mental health and social capital for older people migrating along in Hangzhou]. The Fortune Times 1, 258–260.Google Scholar
Trinh, N-HT, Bernard-Negron, R and Ahmed, II (2019) Mental health issues in racial and ethnic minority elderly. Current Psychiatry Reports 21, 102.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, WJ (2015). ‘Lao piao zu’ wen ti ji qi she hui ying dui [Problems and social response of the older drifting group]. China Civil Affairs 11, 52–54.Google Scholar
Wang, Q (2017a) Health of the elderly migration population in China: benefit from individual and local socioeconomic status? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14, 370.10.3390/ijerph14040370CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, XY (2017b) She hui zhuan xing qi zheng ce shi jiao xia ‘lao piao zu’ xing fu zhi shu yan jiu [A study on the happiness index of ‘the old drifters’ from the perspective of social transformation policy]. Journal of Hebei University of Economics and Business 38, 78–83.Google Scholar
Wang, XY and Li, XC (2017) Cheng shi hua jin cheng zhong ‘lao piao zu’ yi di yang lao wen ti [The offsite endowment of the older drifting group in the process of urbanisation]. Population and Society 33, 50–58.Google Scholar
Wang, YS and Yin, H (2016) She hui zhi chi wang luo shi jiao xia ‘lao piao zu’ de she hui rong he zhuang kuang yan jiu – yi Guangzhou shi wei li [The elder drifter's social integration research on the perspective of the social support network: take Guangzhou as an example]. Scientific Research on Aging 4, 53–64.Google Scholar
Wen, RX and He, YJ (2016) She hui zhi li shi jiao xia wai sheng sui qian lao ren de cheng shi rong ru zhuang kuang yan jiu: yi Luzhou shi B she qu wei li [A study on the urban integration of older people migrating along from the perspective of social governance]. Legal System and Society 9, 183–184.Google Scholar
World Health Organization (WHO) (2018) Mental Health: Strengthening Our Response. Geneva: WHO. Available at http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response.Google Scholar
Wu, YW (2013) One-child policy and elderly migration. Sociological Studies 28, 49–73.Google Scholar
Xia, JL and Xia, SA (2015) Cheng shi hua jin cheng zhong nong cun lao piao zu sheng huo xian zhuang diao cha yan jiu: yi Hefei shi wei li [The living situation of the rural–urban older drifting group in the process of urbanisation: a survey in Hefei]. Science and Technology Vision 16, 154–171.Google Scholar
Xiao, Y and Watson, M (2017) Guidance on conducting a systematic literature review. Journal of Planning Education and Research 39, 93–112.10.1177/0739456X17723971CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xu, JM (2017 a) ‘Lao piao zu’ de cheng shi shi ying wen ti ji she hui gong zuo jie ru tan xi [An analysis of urban adaptation and social work intervention of elderly immigrants]. Social Work 8, 96–107.Google Scholar
Xu, JM (2017 b) ‘Lao piao zu’ de she hui rong ru kun jing ji chu lu tan xi – ji yu Jiangsu sheng H shi de diao cha yu fen xi [Social integration of the older drifting group: a survey in Jiangsu]. Social Welfare 8, 56–61.Google Scholar
Xu, H, Mou, S, Xu, J and Zeng, MY (2014) Beijing di qu sui qian zhong lao nian ren de zhu guan xing fu gan ji qi xiang guan yin su [Subjective well-being and related factors for older people migrating along in Beijing]. Chinese Journal of Gerontology 34, 4944–4945.Google Scholar
Yang, F and Zhang, PQ (2015) Lao piao zu mian lin de zheng ce ping jing yu tu po lu jing: ji yu Guangzhou H she qu de shi zheng fen xi [Policy bottleneck faced by drifting older people and the pathway for breakthrough: Empirical Analysis of Community H in Guangzhou]. Social Security Studies 3, 10–14.Google Scholar
Yao, ZY and Wang, X (2010) Cheng shi sui qian lao ren de jing shen sheng huo yu she qu rong ru [Spiritual life and community integration of the old person moving into the city]. Social Work 9, 43–45.Google Scholar
Yi, D and Xue, ZH (2017) Chongqing shi sui qian lao ren she qu rong ru diao cha yan jiu [A survey on integration of older people migrating along in Chongqing]. Chinese Journal of Gerontology 37, 4382–4384.Google Scholar
Yin, KL, He, JM and Fu, YF (2013) Positive mental health: measurement, prevalence, and correlates in a Chinese cultural context. In Keyes, CLM (ed.), Mental Well-being: International Contributions to the Study of Positive Mental Health. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer, pp. 111–132.10.1007/978-94-007-5195-8_6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zeng, SG (2017) She hui rong ru shi jiao xia jin cheng wu gong ren yuan sui qian lao ren de cheng shi rong ru zhuang kuang yan jiu: yi Guangzhou shi Tianhe qu wei li [Study on the urban integration of migrant elderly from the perspective of social integration]. Journal of Heilongjiang Vocational Institute of Ecological Engineering 30, 61–64.Google Scholar
Zhang, Y (2017) Sui qian lao ren xin li jian kang zhuang kuang ji qi ying xiang yin su fen xi: ji yu Beijing shi mou qu xian de diao cha yan jiu [Mental health and influencing factors: a research in Beijing]. Labor Security World 33, 20–22.Google Scholar
Zhang, P and Hu, Q (2016) Zai hu ‘lao piao zu’ de she hui shi ying wen ti ji qi dui ce yan jiu [Social adaptation problems of elderly immigrants in Shanghai and its countermeasures]. Urban Insight 3, 105–114.Google Scholar
Zhang, HT and Xi, J (2015) Zeng neng shi jiao xia cheng shi lao piao zu de she hui gong zuo jie ru chu tan: yi Jinan shi wei li [Social work intervention concerning the old drift group from the perspective of empowerment: taking Jinan for instance]. Scientific Research on Aging 3, 31–39.Google Scholar
Zhang, YN and Zhou, SH (2013) An analysis of the migration selectivity of the elderly in China. South China Population 28, 38–45.Google Scholar
Zhao, J (2013) Nong cun sui qian lao ren cheng shi rong ru de she qu xing ji zhi yan jiu: yi Nanjing shi wei li [Research on the community system of urban integration of the elders immigrating to the city with their children]. Journal of Anhui University of Science and Technology 15, 45–49.Google Scholar
Zhao, QR, Brosig, S, Luo, RF, Zhang, LX, Yue, A and Rozelle, S (2016) The new rural social pension program in rural China: participation and its correlates. China Agricultural Economic Review 8, 647–661.10.1108/CAER-07-2016-0116CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhou, J, Mao, W, Lee, Y and Chi, I (2017) The impact of caring for grandchildren on grandparents’ physical health outcomes. Research on Aging 39, 612–634.10.1177/0164027515623332CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zou, RJ, Zhang, C and Gen, R (2013) Ji yu te shu xin li xu qiu de Beijing sui qian lao ren ju zhu qu hu wai huo dong kong jian shi yong yan jiu diao cha bao gao: yi Beijing shi Haidian qu wei li [A survey on outdoor activity space usage for older people migrating along in Beijing]. Modern Decoration (Theory) 5, 169.Google Scholar