Mental Health Implications of Urban-to-Rural Migration
Mental Health Implications of Urban-to-Rural Migration
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Issue Date
1980
Authors
Muller, Kris
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Abstract
Psychological distress, ranging from mild impairment to mental illness, has been found to be higher among migrants than nonmigrants. Two alternative hypotheses offered to explain this finding are: (1) selectivity: characteristics of migrants are those associated with psychological impairment; and (2) transitional adjustment: migration is stressful, resulting in psychological impairment which diminishes with a duration of residence in the new location. Previous research on migration and mental illness has focused on rural-to-urban migrants. The current trend of migration is urban-to-rural. The purposes of this study were to: (1) determine whether there is an association between psychological impairment and migration among urban-to-rural migrants; and (2) test whether the association is best accounted for by the transitional adjustment hypothesis, the selectivity hypothesis, some combination of the two, or neither. To test the two hypotheses, an ex post facto design and sample survey method were chosen. The sample was defined to produce two sequential cohorts of migrants: newcomers, residents in the study area for 1-3 years (n = 22), and earlier migrants, survivors of the 1970-75 migration cohort to the study area (n = -vii20). Respondents were selected using probability sampling with quotas; results were weighted to produce a sample more representative of the study area. Psychological fmpairnient levels were determined by an adaptation of the Hopkins Symptom Check List administered as part of standardized, in-depth personal interviews. Questionnaire items explored motivations for the move, the postmigration adaptation process, emotional problems, coping methods and resources, and basic sociodemographic characteristics. Cohorts were compared with respect to psychological impairment levels, patterns of emotional distress and coping, and sociodemographic characteristics. All migrants showed abnormally high symptom levels, and newcomers were found to have higher symptom levels than earlier migrants. This and some other evidence supported the transitional adjustment hypothesis. There was substantial evidence of selectivity as well. However, the research design does not permit assessment of the relative contributions of selective inmigration and selective outmigration to the evidence of selectivity. Several implications for the provision of mental health services to the study area were discussed. One is the need for an information and referral program to facilitate newcomers' integration into the community. Another is that primary prevention efforts may be productively aimed at helping newcomers to recognize and cope effectively with normal adjustment problems associated with relocation.