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Migration incentives and elderly health: Evidence from the Hukou reforms in China

Author

Listed:
  • Huang, Wei
  • Huang, Hai
  • Zhang, Haotian
  • Zheng, Wei

Abstract

This paper studies the impact of child migration on outcomes of elders who stay behind: consumption, economic participation, health, and mental health. Exploiting variation from the preexisting ties between provinces interacted with the time-varying intensity of regional migration deregulation, we find that increased incentives for internal migration in China resulted in more remittances to rural households, boosting consumption and reducing farm work among the elderly who stay behind. The paper also shows improved healthcare utilization and physical health in these non-migrating elderly populations. However, child migration came with a potential downside: the modest decline in the mental well-being of elderly individuals, possibly due to a lack of informal care and companionship from migrated children. These findings show how internal migration impacts the health and economic wellbeing of elderly individuals in developing countries. (JEL I15, J18, O18, P25, P36, R23)

Suggested Citation

  • Huang, Wei & Huang, Hai & Zhang, Haotian & Zheng, Wei, 2027. "Migration incentives and elderly health: Evidence from the Hukou reforms in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:184:y:2027:i:c:s0304387826001860
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2026.103903
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • P25 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
    • P36 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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