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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Health Economics
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1575893
This article is part of the Research Topic The Intersection of Psychology, Healthy Behaviors, and its Outcomes View all 79 articles
The Relationship Between Health and Migration: Exploring Social Capital and Mobility Preferences in China's Urbanization Process
Provisionally accepted- 1 Guizhou Minzu University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China
- 2 Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, China
- 3 Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
Purpose: Health status is a key determinant of life outcomes, including economic performance, educational attainment, and social integration. However, its impact on migration preferences remains underexplored. This study investigates whether health status significantly influences migration decisions in China, with a particular focus on the role of social capital and class mobility expectations.Method: This study utilizes data from the China Labor Dynamics Survey (CLDS) collected between 2012 and 2018. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between selfreported health, occupational quality, social capital, and migration decisions. The mediating role of social networks and the moderating effect of class mobility expectations were also examined.The analysis reveals that individuals with better health are more likely to migrate, especially in pursuit of improved employment opportunities in urban areas. Social networks mediate the relationship between health and migration by providing resources and support that facilitate mobility. Furthermore, class mobility expectations moderate this relationship: healthier individuals with positive prospects tend to stay in their current location, while those who have experienced upward mobility are more likely to migrate.This study highlights the significant role of health status in migration decisions and emphasizes the importance of social networks and class mobility expectations. Policies aimed at improving health and strengthening social support systems could enhance social equity and mobility, particularly in developing countries.
Keywords: Health Status, Migration, social networks, Class mobility, China
Received: 13 Feb 2025; Accepted: 19 Mar 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 mei, You and jun. 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:
Jialu You, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, China
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