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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Health Education and Promotion
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1529736
This article is part of the Research Topic Comprehensive Strategies for Public Health Education across Diverse Audiences and Settings to Control Nosocomial Infection View all articles

Exploring Segmented Assimilation Theory in Health Education Utilization and Its Influencing Factors Among Internal Migrants in China: Insights from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey

Provisionally accepted
Ting Xu Ting Xu 1,2Zeyu Wang Zeyu Wang 3*Tingting Wang Tingting Wang 1*Jiahua Shi Jiahua Shi 4*Aiyong Zhu Aiyong Zhu 1*Enhong Dong Enhong Dong 1*
  • 1 School of nursing and health management, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China
  • 2 Institute of Healthy Yangtze River Delta, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
  • 3 College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
  • 4 Huangpu District Health Promotion Center China, Shanghai, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This study investigated segmented assimilation patterns and factors influencing health education utilization (HEU) among internal migrant populations in China, driven by concerns over their declining health owing to urbanization-related changes. Data from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey were analyzed, focusing on 13,998 rural migrants. Negative binomial regression was used to explore assimilation patterns and determine the factors affecting HEU among internal migrants in China. The results revealed diverse assimilation patterns among internal migrants in four clusters: first-generation classic assimilation, first-generation integration assimilation, second-generation segmented assimilation, and second-generation underclass assimilation. Adjusting for socioeconomic factors, first-generation integrated assimilation groups showed lower HEU (IRR=0.922, P<0.01), while second-generation underclass groups demonstrated higher HEU (IRR=1.110, P<0.001) than the second-generation segmented assimilation groups. Additionally, factors such as ethnicity, marital status, employment status, educational attainment, hukou type, health insurance type, time of access to healthcare, social integration, social participation, establishment of health records, and issues encountered in host and origin places significantly influenced HEU. This study highlights diverse assimilation patterns among Chinese internal migrants regarding HEU, consistent with the theory of segmented assimilation. Specifically, second-generation immigrants exhibit higher HEU levels than their first-generation counterparts, with the second-generation underclass demonstrating the highest HEU. These findings underscore the need for targeted policy interventions addressing diverse migrant assimilation patterns. Specifically, first-generation migrants require accessible and culturally adapted health education programs to overcome systemic barriers, while second-generation underclass migrants need sustained support to leverage their engagement in health initiatives.

    Keywords: Health Education Utilization, Segmented Assimilation, Internal migrants, Acculturation, China

    Received: 17 Nov 2024; Accepted: 23 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Xu, Wang, Wang, Shi, Zhu and Dong. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Zeyu Wang, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom
    Tingting Wang, School of nursing and health management, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China
    Jiahua Shi, Huangpu District Health Promotion Center China, Shanghai, China
    Aiyong Zhu, School of nursing and health management, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China
    Enhong Dong, School of nursing and health management, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China

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