The Mental Health and Syndemic Effect on Suicidal Ideation among Migrant Workers in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Kechun Zhang, Chen Xu, Yinghuan Zhang, Rongxi Wang, Xiaoyue Yu, Tian Hu, Yaqi Chen, Zixin Wang, Bolin Cao, Hui Chen, Yujie Liu, Shangbin Liu, Huachun Zou and Yong Cai
Additional contact information
Kechun Zhang: Shenzhen Longhua District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518000, China
Chen Xu: School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201800, China
Yinghuan Zhang: School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201800, China
Rongxi Wang: School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201800, China
Xiaoyue Yu: School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201800, China
Tian Hu: Shenzhen Longhua District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518000, China
Yaqi Chen: Shenzhen Longhua District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518000, China
Zixin Wang: JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
Bolin Cao: School of Media and Communication, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
Hui Chen: School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201800, China
Yujie Liu: School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201800, China
Shangbin Liu: School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201800, China
Huachun Zou: School of Public Health (Shenzhen), SunYat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
Yong Cai: School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201800, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-12

Abstract: Background: Migrant workers are in a socially disadvantaged position and thus suffer from more stress and mental health disorders, resulting in a high risk of suicidal ideation. This study aimed to explore the association between psychosocial problems and suicidal ideation, and the syndemic effect of concurrent psychosocial problems on suicidal ideation among migrant workers. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study and recruited 1805 migrant workers in Shenzhen, China. Each participant completed a self-administered questionnaire to report sociodemographic information and mental health status. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to explore the association between psychosocial variables and suicidal ideation, and their syndemic effect on suicidal ideation. Results: The prevalence of suicidal ideation among migrant workers was 7.5%. All selected psychosocial variables were independently associated with suicidal ideation. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that three psychosocial variables were associated with suicidal ideation: anxiety (ORm: 1783, 95% CI: 1.089–2.920), entrapment (ORm: 2.064, 95% CI: 1.257–3.388), and defeat (ORm: 2.572, 95% CI: 1.612–4.103). Various mental health issues can exist simultaneously to increase the risk of suicidal ideation (AOR: 5.762, 95% CI: 3.773–8.802). Workers with more psychosocial problems were more likely to have suicidal ideation. Conclusions: The association between poor mental health and suicidal ideation should not be overlooked among migrant workers. The co-occurring or syndemic effect of psychosocial problems may increase the risk of suicidal ideation.

Keywords: migrant workers; suicidal ideation; mental health; syndemic; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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