title: Internal migration and the health of the returned population: a nationally representative study of China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  China had 236 million internal migrants in 2012 and the majority of them migrated from rural to urban areas. The research based on medical and epidemical records found that the migrants had worse health than the urban residents, but the household and working place investigations reported better health status. The sick or unhealthy migrants are likely to return to their hometowns, which in turn may cause a report bias or over-estimation of the health status of rural-to-urban migrants in China. This paper explores the association of migration status and the physical and psychological health of Chinese internal migrants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nationally representative household survey data from the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey 2012 (CLDS) were used to analyze the association between the migration status and the health status of internal migrants in China. Migration status of the respondents was measured by hukou status and migration experience and all respondents were divided into four groups: returned population, migrant population, urban residents, and rural residents. Health status of respondents was measured by self-reported physical and psychological health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Migration experience was associated with the physical health of the returned population. The physical health of the returned population was worse than the migrant population and was distinguished by age and sex. The physical health status of migrant population was significantly better than rural residents, but not significantly better than urban residents. However, the association between migration status and psychological health was not statistically significant. Besides migration status, the socioeconomic status (SES) had a positive correlation with both physical and psychological health status, while occupational hazards exerted negative influence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate a tight association between migration experience and health status. The internal unhealthy migrants were more likely to return to their hometown and the migrant population might have limited health advantage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. 13924021371@139.com.
authors.forename: Luwen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China. legend2532@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shuaishuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Public Administration, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China. zgy-618@163.com.
authors.forename: Guoying
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. wushaolongsysu@163.com.|Sun Yat-sen Center for Migrant Health Policy, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. wushaolongsysu@163.com.
authors.forename: Shaolong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*