From migration to return: the impact of migration on the health and well-being of family members in China
From migration to return: the impact of migration on the health and well-being of family members in China
This thesis explores the multifaceted impact of internal migration on the health and subjective well-being of family members in China, covering various stages of migration, including initial departure, urban settlement, and return migration. Employing panel data and econometric techniques—particularly fixed-effects models, the instrumental variables approach, and sample selection corrections—the thesis addresses key issues such as omitted variable bias and endogenous migration decisions, thereby strengthening causal inference.
The empirical chapters examine the effects of parental migration on the physical and psychological health of left-behind children, highlighting the dual influence of parental absence and remittances. The thesis critically assesses the applicability of the Healthy Immigrant Effect within China, analysing the health trajectories of rural-to-urban migrants and addressing sample selection issues using the Heckman correction method. It also investigates the subjective well-being of return migrants compared to non-migrants, emphasising the role of economic reintegration and relative income positions upon return.
The thesis concludes that while migration may generate economic benefits, it imposes substantial health and emotional costs. Effective policy interventions should therefore integrate economic support with improved healthcare access, psychological assistance, and targeted social programmes tailored to migrants’ needs at different stages of migration. Acknowledging existing methodological limitations, the thesis recommends future longitudinal studies with richer data sources and econometric techniques to further strengthen causal analyses and inform policy design
University of Southampton
Chen, Dingzhi
55383b03-35d2-4dad-a340-a2a1e70b8715
2025
Chen, Dingzhi
55383b03-35d2-4dad-a340-a2a1e70b8715
Wahba, Jackie
03ae9304-c329-40c6-9bfc-d91cfa9e7164
Giulietti, Corrado
c662221c-fad3-4456-bfe3-78f8a5211158
Chen, Dingzhi
(2025)
From migration to return: the impact of migration on the health and well-being of family members in China.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis, 171pp.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
This thesis explores the multifaceted impact of internal migration on the health and subjective well-being of family members in China, covering various stages of migration, including initial departure, urban settlement, and return migration. Employing panel data and econometric techniques—particularly fixed-effects models, the instrumental variables approach, and sample selection corrections—the thesis addresses key issues such as omitted variable bias and endogenous migration decisions, thereby strengthening causal inference.
The empirical chapters examine the effects of parental migration on the physical and psychological health of left-behind children, highlighting the dual influence of parental absence and remittances. The thesis critically assesses the applicability of the Healthy Immigrant Effect within China, analysing the health trajectories of rural-to-urban migrants and addressing sample selection issues using the Heckman correction method. It also investigates the subjective well-being of return migrants compared to non-migrants, emphasising the role of economic reintegration and relative income positions upon return.
The thesis concludes that while migration may generate economic benefits, it imposes substantial health and emotional costs. Effective policy interventions should therefore integrate economic support with improved healthcare access, psychological assistance, and targeted social programmes tailored to migrants’ needs at different stages of migration. Acknowledging existing methodological limitations, the thesis recommends future longitudinal studies with richer data sources and econometric techniques to further strengthen causal analyses and inform policy design
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From Migration to Return: The Impact of Migration on the Health and Well-being of Family Members in China
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Published date: 2025
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Local EPrints ID: 504271
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/504271
PURE UUID: d00c65e5-18d4-4960-bab7-e3330e775b85
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Date deposited: 02 Sep 2025 16:58
Last modified: 10 Sep 2025 13:36
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Dingzhi Chen
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