Internal migration, mental health, and suicidal behaviors in young rural Chinese

Of the 1,646 rural subjects aged 16-34 years, migrant workers had a decreased risk of depression (OR = 0.69, P = 0.026) compared to non-migrants.

• Migrant workers showed a comparable risk for poor psychological quality of life compared to non-migrants (OR = 0.91, P = 0.557).
• There was no significant difference in one-year suicidal behaviors between migrant and non-migrant youths (OR = 0.59-1.10, P = 0.19-0.90).
• Migrant status accounted for a very small percentage of the variance in mental health outcomes, with only 12.6% for serious suicide ideation.
• The findings indicate that migrant status is associated with a decreased risk of depression but not with poorer psycho-QOL or suicidal behaviors.

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