The influence of income and working time of rural migrant workers on health: The mediating effect of life stress and the moderating effect of marital status

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Yang, Chunjiang^{a; b}

Affiliations: [a] Yantai Nanshan University, Shandong, Longkou, China | [b] Shandong Nanshan Health Wellness Tourism Research Center, Shandong, Longkou, China. Tel.: +86 18633520524; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: BACKGROUND:The health problems of rural migrant workers have received more and more attention from government, society, and academia in recent years. OBJECTIVE:By integrating social role theory and interpersonal relationship theory, this study investigates the underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions that explain the effects of income and working time on the health of rural migrant workers. METHODS:Data from 310 rural migrant workers in four cities of Hebei Province were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). RESULTS:Results show that (1) life stress mediated the influence of income and working time on health; (2) marital status moderated the relationship between two independent variables (income and working time) and mediator (life stress): the relationship between income and life stress was much stronger for unmarried rural migrant workers than the married; the relationship between working time and life stress was much more significant for married rural migrant workers than the unmarried; (3) one indirect relationship (income-life stress-health) was moderated by marital status: the indirect relationship between income and health was much stronger for unmarried rural migrant workers than the married. CONCLUSIONS:This study provides some ideas for future research on the health problems of migrant workers.

Keywords: Rural migrant workers, income, working time, marital status, life stress, health

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-190714

Journal: Human Systems Management, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 69-80, 2020