Non-migrant Children Research Articles

Whether and How Family Functioning Relates to the Development of Self-Compassion and Emotion Regulation in Chinese Migrant Children? A Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis.

Given the heightened difficulties in social adjustment and the potential diminishment of social networks encountered by migrant children, family functioning may play a crucial role in their development. Existing research has highlighted the significance of family environment in shaping adolescent self-compassion and emotion regulation, which can serve as protective factors against adverse emotional outcomes. However, there remains a lack of comparative studies to examine the specific effects of family functioning on fostering self-compassion and emotion regulation in both migrant and their non-migrant counterparts. The present study utilized a three-wave longitudinal design with 12-month intervals to examine the longitudinal effects of family functioning on self-compassion and emotion regulation, while also examining potential variations in these associations between migrant and non-migrant children. A total of 244 migrant children and 491 non-migrant children from a high school in Guangdong Province (357 females; Mage = 15.3 at Time 1, SDage = 0.53) participated in this study. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) were utilized to examine the longitudinal associations among family functioning, self-compassion, and emotion regulation in both groups. The results showed that, at the within-person level, family functioning reciprocally predicted self-compassion over time among migrant children, and it also exerted an indirect effect on emotion regulation, mediated by self-compassion. Among non-migrant children, emotion regulation positively predicted self-compassion over time, with no other observed cross-lagged effects.

Interstate migration and its association with the prevalence of stunting in under-five children of the migrant families in Delhi-NCR, India: a cross-sectional study

Background: Interstate migration in India is increasing every year. Children of the migrant families often face poor living conditions and insufficient nutrition, as a result of various socio-economic determinants. This study aimed to understand the association between rural-to-urban migration and under-five stunting, and the various determinants involved. This study allows researchers to make pre and post pandemic comparison of stunting among migrant children in Delhi, since it was carried-out post the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was carried-out in the bhatti mines area of south Delhi, using a systemic sampling method. 100 households each of migrants and non-migrants were approached, and height of the under-five children was measured. Stunting was estimated using WHO child growth standards. Information on demography and socio-economic determinants was collected from the mothers using a questionnaire. Results: Stunting was recorded in 62% of the migrant under-five children and 27% in the non-migrant children, with a significant difference between the two groups (p value <0.001), indicating a significant association between migration and stunting. Source of drinking water (p<0.05) and recurring episodes of diarrhea (p<0.05) were also found to be strongly associated with under-five stunting. Conclusions: Under-five nutritional deficits lead to compromised immunity and delay in physical and mental growth and development. It is important to recognize and address the diverse needs of the under-five migrant population’s health in order to avoid stunting and other serious manifestations.

Elevated levels of loneliness in migrant children compared to nonmigrant children in urban China: a systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies.

About one in four children in China is a migrant child. This population has a higher risk of experiencing loneliness. However, existing studies present conflicting findings regarding the levels of loneliness among migrant children as compared to local urban children in urban China. This review performs a meta-analysis of studies comparing loneliness levels between these two groups. A literature search of major Chinese- and English-language databases revealed 27 eligible comparative studies. These studies reported the means and standardized deviations of loneliness scores for both migrant and nonmigrant children in urban China. Meta-analysis results showed that migrant children experienced significantly higher levels of loneliness than their urban nonmigrant counterparts [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.21, P < 0.001]. Subgroup analysis revealed that studies enrolling migrant children from migrant children's schools had significantly higher pooled SMDs than those enrolling children from public schools (0.346 vs. 0.120, P = 0.047). Migrant children in urban China experience higher levels of loneliness compared to their local urban peers. Efforts to create a socially inclusive, migrant-friendly environment and reduce social isolation among migrant children are crucial to help alleviate their feelings of loneliness.

Comparison of Nutritional Status Between Migrant and Nonmigrant School-Age Children in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China

This study explores the nutritional status of migrant and nonmigrant school-age children in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, along with the contributing factors. A cross-sectional survey (n = 1655) was conducted among students aged 9–11 years across four schools. The findings reveal that 73% of the students’ parents are migrants. Compared with nonmigrants, migrant students exhibited a significantly lower obesity rate (5.2% vs. 8.8%). The migrant parents demonstrated lower levels of nutritional knowledge and education compared to nonmigrants, albeit local parents invested more time in work. Risk factors affecting the nutritional status of migrant children included age, sex, and cooking time, while for local children, gender, family size, sweet food consumption, and nutritional knowledge were identified as risk factors.

Segmented assimilation of migrant children in urban public schools of China: Impact of family resources and school segregation on their educational aspirations

Rural–urban migrant children are a rapidly growing population in Chinese cities. There is emerging literature on the educational inequality faced by migrant children, but most studies focus on their educational performance or attainments and use non-migrant children with non-agricultural hukou in urban areas as one single reference group. This paper argues that Chinese society is segmented by both hukou type and location, and examines the educational aspirations of migrant children from the perspective of segmented assimilation theory. On the basis of the 2013–2014 wave of the China Education Panel Survey, the results show a segmented assimilation pattern: migrant children with non-agricultural hukou had a similar likelihood of aspiring to tertiary education or above; whereas migrant children with agricultural hukou showed higher aspirations of completing at least tertiary education, and the disparity remained significant after considering family resources and school segregation. In family resources, social capital, in form of social communication with parents, benefited migrant children’s aspirations more than it did for their non-migrant counterparts, regardless of their hukou type. In school segregation indicators, academic segregation channeled migrant children with agricultural hukou to a less desirable condition. These findings carry practical and policy implications for understandings of migrant children’s educational aspirations.

Place attachment buffers against the effect of perceived discrimination on psychological distress in Chinese migrant children: A two-wave longitudinal study

Research has shown that Chinese migrant children encounter multiple stressors and adversities in their living environments, making them more vulnerable to psychological distress. The present study aimed to investigate the risky role of perceived discrimination on the development of four psychological distress symptoms (i.e., loneliness, depression, anxiety, and stress), and the protective role of place attachment, utilizing a two-wave longitudinal design. A relatively large sample of Chinese adolescents participated in the study, with a total of 698 participants (Mage = 15.34 at Time 1, SDage = 0.53). The sample included both migrant children (N = 233) and non-migrant children (N = 465). Data were collected in December 2020 (Time 1) and September 2021 (Time 2). The findings revealed significant associations between perceived discrimination at Time 1 and subsequent increases in four psychological distress symptoms at Time 2, specifically among migrant children. However, these associations were nonsignificant among non-migrant children. Notably, place dependence (i.e., the functional aspect of place attachment) at Time 1 emerged as a significant protective factor for migrant children. Specifically, the positive and longitudinal associations between perceived discrimination and loneliness, depression, and anxiety became nonsignificant among migrant children who demonstrated higher levels of place dependence. The findings provide a valuable and practical contribution towards enhancing migrant children's mental health by highlighting the significance of person-place bonding, particularly in terms of place dependence, as a protective mechanism against the adverse impacts of social pressures.

Paediatric COVID-19 vaccination coverage and associated factors among migrant and non-migrant children aged 5-11 years in Aotearoa New Zealand: A population-level retrospective cohort study

ObjectiveChildren with migrant and refugee backgrounds may experience immunisation inequities due to barriers to accessing and accepting vaccines. In Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), national reporting can mask inequities in coverage by migration background. This study explored paediatric COVID-19 vaccine uptake among children with migrant and refugee backgrounds. MethodsThis population-level retrospective cohort study compared rates and determinants of paediatric COVID-19 vaccine uptake as of July 2022 amongst migrant and non-migrant children who were aged between 5 and 11 years as of January 2022. Linked de-identified administrative and health data available in Statistics NZ’s Integrated Data Infrastructure were used, and univariate and multivariable logistic regression were conducted to determine associations. ResultsOf the total study population (N = 451,323), 3.5% were overseas-born migrant children, 31.3% were NZ-born migrant children, and 65.3% were NZ-born non-migrant children. Only 50.8% (229,164 out of 451,323) of children had received at least one dose. Migrant children were significantly more likely to have received a COVID-19 vaccination than non-migrant children. Logistic modelling revealed that all factors, including ethnicity, gender, age, family type, household income, deprivation, region, parent COVID-19 vaccination status, and child’s previous COVID-19 infection, significantly influenced COVID-19 vaccine uptake. The largest contributing factor was parents’ COVID-19 vaccination status. ConclusionsThe findings suggest that NZ’s paediatric COVID-19 vaccination programme was able to address logistical and motivational barriers commonly identified amongst migrants and refugees. Implications for public healthAs parents’ vaccination status is an important factor in vaccinating their own children, continuous efforts are needed to support confident parental COVID-19 vaccine decision-making. To address social inequities, engagement with marginalised communities to co-design tailored and localised approaches is recommended.

Childhood vaccination uptake among children born in Aotearoa New Zealand based on parental nationality

ABSTRACT Migrants and refugees generally experience immunization inequities compared to their host populations. Childhood vaccination coverage rates are influenced by a complex set of interrelated factors, including child and parental nativity. Coverage rates for MMR, pertussis, and HPV vaccines were compared among children born in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) of overseas-born parents or NZ-born parents. A nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted using linked, de-identified data. Logistic regression models examined the most influential factors contributing to differences in timely vaccine uptake. Of the total study population who had received all scheduled vaccines (N = 760,269), 32.9% were children of migrant parents. Children of migrant parents had higher rates of complete and timely uptake for MMR, pertussis, and HPV vaccinations compared to non-migrant children. NZ-born children of migrant parents were significantly more likely to receive MMR and pertussis-containing vaccines on-time compared to those of non-migrants. All included factors, except for the child’s gender and parents’ English ability, significantly influenced vaccine uptake. Among NZ-born children of migrant parents, additional logistic modeling found significant differences based on parental duration of residence, visa group, and region of nationality. Findings point to the importance of differentiating between parent versus child nativity when examining immunization coverage. While vaccination rates were higher for NZ-born children of migrant parents, compared to non-migrant parents, timely coverage rates across both groups were below national targets. Continued efforts are needed to improve timely immunization service delivery to address suboptimal and inequitable coverage.

Migrant background and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental healthcare consultations among children and adolescents in Norway: a nationwide registry study

BackgroundDespite concern about migrant children’s mental health and their access to mental healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic, this topic has attracted little research attention. This study aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the use primary and specialist healthcare services for mental health problems among children and adolescents with migrant background.MethodsUsing event study models, we investigated the impact of lockdown and subsequent COVID-19 infection control measures on children’s health service use for mental health problems according to migrant background. Drawing on reimbursement data from Norwegian public healthcare providers we observe consultations in a pre-pandemic (2017–2019) and pandemic cohort (2019–2021) in primary and specialised care.ResultsThe pre-pandemic cohort included 77 324 migrants, 78 406 descendants of migrants and 746 917 non-migrants and the pandemic cohort included 76 830 migrants, 88 331 descendants and 732 609 non-migrants (age 6–19). The full cohorts were observed for mental healthcare use in primary care while a subsample (age 6–16) was observed for health care use in specialist care. Lockdown resulted in a dip in consultation volumes for mental disorders for all children, but this dip was relatively larger and more persistent for children with migrant background. After lockdown, consultation volumes rose more for non-migrant children than for children with migrant background. Consultations in primary healthcare peaked during January to April 2021 for non-migrants and descendants of migrants, but not for migrants (4%, 95% CI -4 to 11). In specialist care during the same period, consultations dropped by 11% for migrants (95% CI -21 to -1).By October 2021, all mental health consultations in specialist care were up with 8% for non-migrants (95% CI 0 to 15), and down with -18% for migrants and -2% for descendants (95% CIs -31 to -5 and -14 to 10).Migrant males experienced the largest reduction in consultations.ConclusionsChanges in consultation volumes among children with migrant background after lockdown were not as pronounced as for non-migrants, and at times actually decreased. This suggests that an increase in barriers to care emerged during the pandemic for children with a migrant background.

The Causal Effects of Urban-to-Urban Migration on Left-behind Children's Well-Being in China.

As China's urbanization process deepens, more and more residents of small and medium-sized cities are moving to large cities, and the number of left-behind children is increasing. In this paper, using data from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS), a nationally representative survey sample, we examine the well-being of left-behind children with urban household registration at the junior high school level and the causal effects of parental migration on their well-being. Research findings indicate that children who are left behind in urban areas are at a disadvantage in most aspects of their well-being compared to urban non-left-behind children. We examine the determinants of urban household registration for left-behind children. Children in families with lower socioeconomic status, more siblings, and poorer health were more likely to be left behind. In addition, our counterfactual framework reveals that, on average, staying behind negatively impacts the well-being of urban children, based on the propensity score matching (PSM) method. Compared to non-migrant children, left-behind children had significantly lower physical health, mental health, cognitive ability, academic performance, school affiliation, and relationships with their parents.

School bullying among migrant children in China: A cross-sectional study.

Bullying is a serious public health concern affecting the physical and mental health of children. Migrant children are at higher risk of developing health problems. We conducted this study to investigate the prevalence of school bullying and its possible influencing factors of migrant children. A cross-sectional study was carried out in Hunan Province, China from April to July 2018. Multi-stage cluster sampling was adopted to achieve a representative sample covering both urban and rural areas. Migrant children are defined as those who migrate with one or both parents to other places and who do not have a hukou in their city of residence. The Chinese version of Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was applied to measure children's involvement in school bullying. A total of 7,607 students were surveyed, including 995 migrant children and 6,612 non-migrant children. The prevalence of school bullying was significantly higher in migrant children than in non-migrant children (χ 2 = 22.740; p < 0.001). Binary regression analysis showed that male, middle school identity, more times of playing violent games, more social friends owning and being beaten by parents or caregivers may increase the risk of involvement of school bullying in migrant children. Migrant children showed a higher prevalence of school bullying than non-migrant children. Gender, grade, frequency of playing violent games, number of social friends and being beaten by parents or caregivers were associated with school bullying in migrant children.

Social Disparities in Mental Health Service Use Among Children and Youth in Ontario: Evidence From a General, Population-Based Survey.

To examine differences in mental health-related service contacts between immigrant, refugee, racial and ethnic minoritized children and youth, and the extent to which social, and economic characteristics account for group differences. The sample for analyses includes 10,441 children and youth aged 4-17 years participating in the 2014 Ontario Child Health Study. The primary caregiver completed assessments of their child's mental health symptoms, perceptions of need for professional help, mental health-related service contacts, experiences of discrimination and sociodemographic and economic characteristics. Adjusting for mental health symptoms and perceptions of need for professional help, children and youth from immigrant, refugee and racial and ethnic minoritized backgrounds were less likely to have mental health-related service contacts (adjusted odds ratios ranged from 0.54 to 0.79), compared to their non-immigrant peers and those who identified as White. Group differences generally remained the same or widened after adjusting for social and economic characteristics. Large differences in levels of perceived need were evident across non-migrant and migrant children and youth. Lower estimates of mental health-related service contacts among immigrant, refugee and racial and ethnic minoritized children and youth underscore the importance and urgency of addressing barriers to recognition and treatment of mental ill-health among children and youth from minoritized backgrounds.

Catch-up immunisation for migrant children in Melbourne: A qualitative study with providers to determine key challenges

BackgroundCurrent models of immunisation service delivery in Australia are not meeting the needs of migrant children, who experience a higher burden of vaccine preventable disease and lower immunisation rates compared to non-migrant children. Understanding the experiences of immunisation providers is critical for designing effective and tailored interventions to improve this service. This study aimed to identify the facilitators and barriers to providers delivering a comprehensive catch-up immunisation service to migrant children in Melbourne, Australia. MethodsSemi-structured interviews with council and general practice immunisation providers were conducted. Recorded interviews were transcribed and coded inductively using thematic analysis. Identified themes were then deductively categorised according to the Capability, Opportunity and Motivation of Behaviour (COM-B) model. ResultsTwenty-four providers (five practice nurses, six general practitioners, six council nurses and seven council administration officers) were interviewed between March and June 2021. Fourteen themes were identified that contributed to the delivery of an effective catch-up immunisation service. Capability themes included training, experience and skills to perform the service and communicate with families. Opportunity themes incorporated time, workplace norms, traits of migrant families, costs, systems and resources. Themes related to motivation were provider responsibility, beliefs about migrant health, and immunisation prioritisation. ConclusionsKey barriers for providers to deliver a comprehensive catch-up immunisation service were related to opportunity. Developing an online tool to support catch-up schedule development and reporting, and funding provider time to calculate the schedule are primary actions that could overcome opportunity barriers. Capability and motivation barriers for general practitioners included limited time, skills, and motivation compared to nurses. These barriers may be overcome with improvements to training that focus on upskilling nurses to deliver the catch-up service. Service delivery challenges are multifactorial, requiring a range of strategies to optimise this service and increase immunisation coverage in migrant children.

Experience and Prevalence of Dental Caries in Migrant and Nonmigrant Low-SES Families' Children Aged 3 to 5 Years in Italy.

Dental caries is a public health problem in children and is more prevalent in low-socioeconomic-status groups. The aim of this study is to assess the association between migrant families and the prevalence of caries among young children in Italy. This is a cross-sectional study. In the age range of 3 to 5 years, a total of 266 migrant children and 301 nonmigrant children were examined in three Italian charity dental centers. All children had families with low SES. The dmft was determined by intraoral examination performed by six pediatric dentist specialists to assess their dental health. In this study, the prevalence of caries (71%) and the mean dmft (3.68; SD: 1.52) of migrant children were statistically significantly higher than the percentage (52%) and the mean dmft of the nonmigrant control group (3.10; SD: 1.65) with no differences between genders. For the migrant children, the mean (0.49; SD: 0.32) of restorations (filled teeth) was statistically significantly lower than that of nonmigrant children (1.20; SD: 0.48). This study highlights that dmft values and the prevalence of caries are higher in migrant children than in nonmigrant children. In addition, the control group shows a higher level of dental caries than the national mean.

Peer victimization, environmental and psychological distress, and academic performance among children in China: A serial mediation model moderated by migrant status

BackgroundDespite robust evidence indicating the adverse academic, psychological, and school-related impacts of being victimized, the ways in which peer victimization indirectly affects children's academic performance by psychological and environmental distress remain poorly understood, especially in China. ObjectiveWe sought to investigate how peer victimization negatively impacts academic performance via the serial mediation effects of environmental and psychological distress among migrant versus non-migrant children in China. Participants and settingParticipants were selected by multistage stratified cluster sampling, and data were collected with a cross-sectional survey administered in Nanjing and Guangzhou, China. The sample included 1747 students in Grades 4 to 9 (boys = 54.7 %, mean age = 11.7 years). MethodsStructural equation modeling and group comparison analysis were conducted to examine the hypothesized model. ResultsChildren's experiences with peer victimization significantly affected their academic performance and in relationships partially mediated by environmental distress (i.e., perception of school safety), followed by psychological distress (i.e., anxiety) (95 % CI: [−0.010, −0.001], B = −0.005, p < .01). The serial mediation model applied to non-migrant children only (95 % CI: [−0.026, −0.001], B = −0.008, p < .05), however, whereas environmental distress exerted a single mediating effect on the association between peer victimization and academic performance among migrant children only (95 % CI: [−0.125, −0.044], B = −0.076, p < .001). ConclusionEnvironmental and psychological distress exerted serial mediating effect on the association between peer victimization and academic performance. School-based comprehensive intervention programs designed for migrant versus non-migrant children are recommended.

Change in nutritional status of urban slum children before and after the first COVID-19 wave in Bangladesh: A repeated cross-sectional assessment.

The onset of COVID-19 severely disrupted economies and increased acute household food insecurity in developing countries. Consequently, a global rise in childhood undernutrition was predicted, especially among vulnerable populations, but primary evidence on actual changes in nutritional status remained scarce. In this paper, we assessed shifts in nutritional status of urban slum children in Bangladesh pre- and post- the country's first wave of COVID-19 and nationwide lockdown. We used two rounds of cross-sectional data collected before and after the pandemic's first year in two large slum settlements (Korail and Tongi) of Dhaka and Gazipur, Bangladesh (n = 1119). Regression models estimated pre-post changes in: 1) predictors of childhood undernutrition (household income, jobs, food security, dietary diversity, healthcare utilization, and hand hygiene); and 2) under-five children's nutritional status (average height-for-age z-score (HAZ) and weight-for-height z-score (WHZ), stunting, and wasting). Subgroup analysis was done by household migration status and slum area. Over the sample period, average monthly household income dropped 23% from BDT 20,740 to BDT 15,960 (β = -4.77; 95% CI:-6.40, -3.15), and currently employed fathers slightly declined from 99% to 95% (β = -0.04; 95% CI:-0.05, -0.02). Average HAZ among the slum children improved 0.13 SD (95% CI: 0.003, 0.26). Among non-migrant children in Tongi, the odds of stunting increased (OR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.16, 3.48) and average WHZ reduced -0.40 SD (95% CI: -0.74, -0.06). Despite great economic hardship, and differential patterns of representativeness by household geography and migration status, slum children in Bangladesh generally demonstrated resilience to nutritional decline over the first year of the pandemic. While underlying threats to nutritional deterioration persisted, considerable job and income recovery in the post-lockdown period appeared to have cushioned the overall decline. However, as the pandemic continues, monitoring and appropriate actions are needed to avert lasting setbacks to Bangladesh nutritional progress.

US Citizenship for our Mexican Children! US-born Children of Non-Migrant Mothers in Northern Mexico

ABSTRACT We analyze the presence of non-migrant US-born children aged 0–4 in the northern states of Mexico and associated factors by parental nativity. Based on the 2020 Mexican Census, we describe the location, population size, and sociodemographic profiles of these children. We also estimate regression models to examine factors associated with children’s US nativity. We found that US births to non-migrant mothers have become a more prevalent source of US-born children than return migration in recent years. Non-migrant US-born children slightly declined from 2010 to 2020 and continued to be concentrated in northern states, particularly in the border municipalities. Multivariate regression models reveal that, among children of Mexico-born parents, being non-migrant US-born was associated with higher levels of parental schooling, socioeconomic status, or cross-border employment. Births in the U.S. are more common among Mexican middle-upper status families suggesting a selection process that may contribute to social reproduction by increasing their children’s future socioeconomic opportunities relative to Mexico-born children. However, among those with US-born parents, US birth does not vary by socioeconomic status showing those with easier access to the United States and transnational social capital do not need additional resources to secure US citizenship.

Understanding the Socio-Economic Vulnerability in Child Malnutrition Between Migrants and Non-Migrants Children (12-59 Months) in India: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study.

India has witnessed increasing trends in internal migration over the last three decades. In India, migrant children are not a homogeneous group and their reasons for movement and vulnerabilities vary across socio-economic stratum. For some children, migration may open possibilities and is associated with expanding social and economic spheres, but for many others, it may bring serious risks. Therefore, the study has been carried out to understand socio-economic vulnerability in child nutrition with migration status and other contributing factors in India. This study used data from the National Family Health Survey, the fourth in the NFHS series which was conducted in 2015–2016 (NFHS-4). We were interested in looking at the children age 12–59 months for their nutritional indicators such as stunting and underweight across migrants and non-migrants children. This resulted in a sample of 199,448 children in selected age group and among them 33.1% children belongs to the migrant family as compared to 67% of non-migrant children. Overall, 44.2% of children were stunted and 39.5% were underweight among non-migrant children as compared to 37.4% & 32.8% of migrant children were stunted and underweight respectively. Further, the results showed that among the social groups, scheduled caste children were found a high variation in underweight (34% vs. 41.6%) and stunting (36% vs. 46%) between migrants and non-migrants children. Similar trend of malnourishment is found in the poor wealth quintile, for rural residents and low educated women with non-migrant status. Those children who were poor but non-migrant were more likely to be malnourished as underweight [aOR; 1.15, CI: 1.11–1.18] and stunted [aOR; 1.17, CI:1.13–1.20] as compared to migrant status children in the same category of the household. Similarly in reference to scheduled caste migrant group, the scheduled caste non-migrant were more likely to be underweight [aOR; 1.15, CI: 1.09–1.20] and stunted [aOR; 1.18, CI: 1.12–1.23] than the children with migrant status. There were huge differences between migrant and non-migrant children in nutritional statuses. Education, caste and wealth index are found to be an important variables to explain the differential between migrants and non-migrants in child’s nutritional aspects. Children associated with poor socio-economic vulnerability and non-migrant category need to be taken care of more and a community targeted approach is required to understand the gaps. The programs such as ICDS, and Poshan Abhiyan need to be revamped adding the migration aspect of the families and children in terms of their health and nutritional aspects.

What does ‘left behind’ mean to children living in migratory regions in rural China?

This article explores how in China in the early to mid-2010s non-migrant children in households with and without migrants interpreted the situation of children being left behind because of parental migration. These children lived in rural regions in China’s eastern interior where parental migration had become a ‘new normal’ and where a good future was one that involved escaping rurality and progressing to a stable urban job through education. Based on my interviews with forty-four left behind children of two migrant parents and twenty-nine children who lived with both their parents, this article demonstrates that the children’s deep feelings about their own family’s circumstances impacted on their perceptions about the situation of children being ‘left behind’. The children’s views reveal implications of parental migration that are more complex than neat delineations of trade-offs between costs (reduced parental care) and benefits (increased income) suggest. The discussion further contributes to bridging conceptual dichotomies between migrants and non-migrants and between left-behinds and other stayers.

Unintentional injuries and risk behaviours of internal migrant children in southern China: A cross-sectional study.

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of unintentional injuries and to identify factors mediating the risk of unintentional injuries among internal migrant children in southern China using self-reported data collected between April 2016 and March 2017. Logistic regression models were used to identify significant risk factors for unintentional injuries among the internal migrant children. The prevalence of self-reported unintentional injuries among internal migrant children in this study was 19.15%. Internal migrant children exhibiting antisocial (antisocial behaviour vs. no behaviour problems, OR=2.162, 95% CI: 1.194-3.915, p=.011) and neurotic behaviours (neurotic behaviour vs. no behaviour problems, OR=2.064, 95% CI: 1.098-3.880, p=.024) were more likely to report unintentional injuries. There was a positive correlation between the number of risk behaviours and the prevalence of unintentional injuries among non-migrant and internal migrant children. Children's behavioural problems were closely related to unintentional injuries and may be useful as predictors of unintentional injuries in children.