Mental health of migrant workers in China: prevalence and correlates

Background This study aimed to examine the prevalence and the socio-demographic correlates of mental health of migrant workers in Shanghai China. Methods A total of 475 migrant workers from four major districts in Shanghai were recruited through a survey design with stratified random sampling. Male and female migrant workers were identified as mentally healthy or unhealthy using the brief symptom inventory. Socio-demographic characteristics and migration stress were explored as correlates of the mental health of the migrant workers. Results A total of 73 migrant workers could be classified as mentally unhealthy (25% for men and 6% for women). Male migrant workers who were married (OR 6.16, 95% CI 1.83-20.70), manual laborers (OR 1.56, 95% CI 0.97-2.51), and experienced more stress in "financial and employment-related difficulties'' (OR 2.75, 95% CI 1.47-5.14) and "interpersonal tensions and conflicts'' (OR 4.18, 95% CI 1.55-11.25) were more likely to be mentally unhealthy, whereas the female migrant workers who experienced more stress in "interpersonal tensions and conflicts'' (OR 6.52, 95% CI 0.83-51.14) were more likely to have poor mental health. Conclusion The findings provide information for the prevention of mental illness among migrant workers in China. The implications and limitations are also discussed.