Health Crowding-Out Effect of Family Migration on First Cohort Migrant Workers: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract

In the dynamic panorama of China’s shifting social mobility, characterized by a transition from individual to family mobility, the migration of the first cohort of migrant workers and their families has taken center stage. However, the scholarly discourse on how family migration influences the health of migrant workers remains contentious. This study uses data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) of 2017 to focus on the first cohort of migrant workers. Drawing on the theories of family stress and life course, the empirical analysis incorporated heterogeneity tests, total effects, robustness tests, mediation effects, and propensity score matching to explore the mechanisms underlying the impact of family migration on migrant workers’ health. Data analysis reveals a substantial negative impact of family migration on the health status of the first cohort of migrant workers. Variations in health outcomes were identified across different family migration patterns. Further analysis indicates that the first cohort of migrant workers, when confronted with family livelihood pressures, tends to prioritize economic resources to support urban family life over their own health. This is because they are influenced by a family-centered culture. Our findings reveal a nuanced landscape. While family migration provides potentially enhances social support systems, it also imposes significant health trade-offs due to increased life stressors. These stressors include economic instability, increased responsibility for family care, and the psychological impacts of adapting to new urban environments. There are the health crowding-out effect of family migration on first cohort migrant workers.