Family Support and Social Support Associated with National Essential Public Health Services Utilization among Older Migrants in China: A Gender Perspective.

Wangnan Cao,Chun Chang,Qingping Yun,Ying Ji

doi:10.3390/ijerph19031610

Wangnan Cao, Chun Chang + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031610

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Abstract

China provides National Essential Public Health Services (NEPHS) free of charge to all citizens to ensure access to essential health services. The present study aimed to explore the associations between different sources of support and NEPHS service utilization among older migrants in China with a gender perspective. We used a national cross-sectional dataset derived from the 2015 China Migrants Dynamic Survey. Participants were included if they were aged ≥60 years and without household registration at the residence. Among 1989 participants, 35.2% enrolled in a free physical examination in the past year: 34.6% for males and 35.9% for females. Among male participants, having more local friends (OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.99) and having insurance at the residence (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.96) were associated with enrolment in a free physical examination after controlling for age, education, and self-reported health status. Two additional factors, marital status and family structure, were found for female participants to be associated with enrolment in a free physical examination. NEPHS service utilization was far from satisfactory among older migrants in China, and both family support and social support played a role in it. There are common and unique factors associated with NEPHS service utilization in terms of gender.

Highlights

Health for all has become one of the critical efforts to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) worldwide and in China [1]
The present study aimed to explore the associations between different sources of support and National Essential Public Health Services (NEPHS) utilization among older migrants in China from a gender perspective
The present study explored the relationships between two sources of support and NEPHS service utilization among the older migrant population

Summary

Introduction

Health for all has become one of the critical efforts to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) worldwide and in China [1]. China has a large and increasing number of older migrants given population aging and rapid economic and social development. Poor social interaction is commonly observed among older migrants [3,4], probably due to limited accessibility to local resources, difficulties in adapting to the local cultures, and limited capabilities to sustain the original network or develop new support networks [5,6]. To address these needs of migrants, China launched Essential Public Service Equalization for Migrants in 2013

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