Too Costly to Be Ill

Psychiatric Disorders among Hospitalized Migrant Workers in Shenzhen

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2397516
AutoresY W Lu (Shenzhen KangNing Hospital), Ya-Xi Lu (0009-0008-8735-4798, Shenzhen KangNing Hospital), Sing Lee (0000-0002-9377-7390, Chinese University of Hong Kong), M L Liu (Shenzhen KangNing Hospital), Yun Kwok Wing (0000-0002-5745-5474), T S Lee (Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Año1999
Volumen36
Número1
Páginas95-109
Fecha de publicación1999-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaTranscultural Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1363-4615 • E-ISSN: 1461-7471
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/136346159903600106
OpenAlexW2063957868
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas10

It has been estimated that there are now about 100 million economic migrants 'floating' in China's cities and towns. Although these rural people are subjected to profound discrimination vis-‡-vis employment, welfare, court-ship and legal rights, their mental health problems are largely unknown. The present study examines retrospectively the psychiatric morbidity and treatment of 112 migrant workers who were hospitalized in the only psychiatric hospital in Shenzhen, China's first special economic zone, over a 2-year period. The most common reason for hospitalization was socially intolerable behaviour and the most common diagnosis was schizophreniform psychosis. More female than male patients seemed to have social precipitants, which were most commonly labour conflicts and love or marital problems. Most patients improved with treatment but, because of the lack of health insurance coverage, 25% of them were discharged against medical recommendation. Since access to health services for less socially disruptive psychiatric disorders among migrants is greatly limited, empowering social and health policies are essential for enhancing their health status. The findings of the present study challenge the Chinese state as to how far it should pursue rapid economic growth without giving adequate attention to its adverse impact on the nation's health and health care

China · Environmental health · Health care · Marital status · Mental health · Political science · Population · Psychiatry · Social Welfare · China's Socioeconomic Reforms and Governance · Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences · Employment and Welfare Studies · Law · Medicine · Psychology