Mental health and self-rated health status of internal migrant workers and the correlated factors analysis in Shanghai, China: a cross-sectional epidemiological study

Abstract

Background: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 to investigate the mental health status of internal migrant workers (IMWs) in Shanghai to understand basic information and the mental health status of IMWs.

Methods: The total number of IMWs in the study was 4793 and 4648 questionnaires were valid. We used χ2 test, t test, analysis of variance, linear regression and logistic regression to analyse the data.

Results: Mental health, represented by the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire score (≥10), was significantly correlated with self-rated income-expenditure status, living with family, job type and alcohol use. The total depression prevalence of IMWs in this study was 20.1%. Subjective well-being (SWB) was significantly correlated with marital status, educational attainment, self-reported income-expenditure status, living with family and job type. Those who were female, had a high school education or above, self-reported inadequate income, did not live with family, had poor self-rated health and had moderate or severe depression were more likely to have lower SWB. Promoting the mental health of IMWs also benefited their physical health.

Conclusions: Chinese migrant workers who were younger, had insufficient self-rated income, had worse self-reported health, used alcohol and were unmarried had a high risk of mental health disorders.

Keywords: depression; internal migrant worker; mental health; prevalence; self-rated health; subjective well-being.