The world has experienced unprecedented levels of migration and population ageing over the past few decades, both of which have had significant impacts on societies and economies globally. With its rapid urbanisation, declining fertility and increasing longevity, China has witnessed the largest growth in internal migration and population ageing in its history. Prior research has shown that migration status is an important determinant of health and well-being. However, the existing literature on gender differences in the health outcomes of migration has been largely descriptive in nature. Additionally, most previous studies have taken a static view of migration and its relationship with health, rather than considering migration as a dynamic process and examining its long-term impact on health and well-being in later life. Guided by a life course perspective, this research focuses on the dynamic nature of migration trajectories over the life course and aims to explore their relationship with the health and well-being of Chinese older women and men. In particular, it explores gender differences in this relationship and examines mechanisms that may explain these gender differences. It further illustrates the role of gender by analysing migration trajectories in the context of family life and household context. By using the rich longitudinal and life history data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and statistical methods such as sequence analysis, distinct migration trajectory patterns were identified and their gendered relationship with health and well-being in later life were examined. The results show that migrating in early adulthood, especially migrating before marriage, is associated with better mental health in later life, whereas migrants who subsequently return to rural settings have similar mental health outcomes to lifelong rural residents. In addition, the health advantage of settling in urban areas in early adulthood and for those who migrated before marriage are stronger among women than men. Moreover, the gender differences in the health consequences of migration result from both the way in which gender moderates the economic pathway linking migration and health and from how migration trajectories are associated with gender power relationships. For married couples, the relationship between migration trajectories and later-life health for men and women also depends on the migration trajectories of their spouses. This thesis contributes to the literature on migration and health by taking account of the dynamic nature of migration operating across the life course and the heterogeneity within the migrant population due to their diverse migration histories. Furthermore, it enriches our understanding of the role of gender in the relationship between migration and health in later life by illustrating the underlying mechanisms explaining gender differences in migration outcomes. Methodologically, this thesis demonstrates an innovative application of sequence analysis in the study of migration and health. It also develops a novel dyadic analysis approach to broaden insights into how migrantsâ lives are linked over time and space.
Date of Award | 1 Aug 2024 |
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Original language | English |
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Awarding Institution | - The University of Manchester
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Supervisor | James Nazroo (Supervisor) & Nan Zhang (Supervisor) |
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- internal migration
- gender
- life course
- health
- well-being
Internal Migration, Gender, and Health and Well-being in Later Life in China: A Life Course Perspective
Zhang, J. (Author). 1 Aug 2024
Student thesis: Phd