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Chinese Hukou Policy and Rural-to-Urban Migrants’ Health: Evidence from Matching Methods

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  • Marta Bengoa

    (City University of New York
    South African Research Chair in Industrial Development, University of Johannesburg
    CIRANO)

  • Christopher Rick

    (Syracuse University)

Abstract

Internal migration and the provision of social benefits in China are restricted by the institutional policy, commonly called hukou. Hukou status is mainly determined by place of origin. It creates a two-tier system that exacerbates inequality across Chinese households—rural versus urban hukou. We apply coarsened exact matching methods and propensity score models to estimate the impact of obtaining an urban hukou on rural-to-urban migrants’ health outcomes. Our results indicate that migrants with urban hukou maintain lower levels of blood pressure and are less likely to develop hypertension or nutritional conditions compared to rural hukou migrants. We do not find significant results on self-rated health. Our findings show that, in the short-medium term, there are differences in health that are prevalent for migrants with different hukous.

Suggested Citation

  • Marta Bengoa & Christopher Rick, 2020. "Chinese Hukou Policy and Rural-to-Urban Migrants’ Health: Evidence from Matching Methods," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 46(2), pages 224-259, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:easeco:v:46:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1057_s41302-019-00158-z
    DOI: 10.1057/s41302-019-00158-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Yuanyuan & Wang, Haining & Cheng, Zhiming & Smyth, Russell, 2023. "Education and Migrant Health in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    2. Jason Hung & Mark Ramsden, 2021. "The Application of Human Capital Theory and Educational Signalling Theory to Explain Parental Influences on the Chinese Population’s Social Mobility Opportunities," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-7, September.
    3. Jason Hung, 2022. "Hukou System Influencing the Structural, Institutional Inequalities in China: The Multifaceted Disadvantages Rural Hukou Holders Face," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-18, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Internal migration; Hukou registration system; Health outcomes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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