Migration status and internet use
Gender differences in mental health among rural older adults in China
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22080587 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Xiaoxiao Li (0000-0001-8622-8847, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications), Taixiang Duan (0000-0003-0007-1805, Southwest Petroleum University), Sizhan Cui (University of Oxford), Dongyang Zhou (0000-0001-8895-9707, Anhui University of Technology, corresponding author), Yaping Hu (0000-0003-3496-0600, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications), Shuijing Xu (Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 14 |
| Pages | 1697446-1697446 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-23 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1697446 |
| PMID | 41810310 |
| OpenAlex | W7131079088 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 50 |
Background: A study was conducted to examine the impact of Internet use on the mental health of male and female older adults with different migration statuses living in rural China. Methods: Data came from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2020. The propensity score matching method was adopted to analyze the effect of Internet use on mental health of rural older adults as a function of migration status and gender. Results: Our findings indicated a progressive decline in depressive symptoms and a corresponding increase in mental well-being among older migrants, left-behind older adults, and those without migrant children. Furthermore, the mental health benefits associated with Internet use increased alongside this improvement. Importantly, older migrant women derived fewer mental health benefits from Internet use than their male counterparts, as did left-behind older women relative to men in the same cohort. Conclusion: Since the mental health of the older migrants was worse than that of left-behind older adults or those without migrant children, and older migrant women derived fewer mental health benefits from Internet use than their male counterparts, it is necessary to pay more attention to rural older migrants, especially older women, to improve their willingness and ability to use the Internet
China · Depressive symptoms · Internet users · Mental health · Propensity score matching · The Internet · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Technology Use by Older Adults
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| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |