Discrimination experience and quality of life among rural-to-urban migrants in China: the mediation effect of expectation-reality discrepancy

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effect of expectation-reality discrepancy in mediating the relationship between discrimination experience and quality of life (QOL) among rural-to-urban migrants in China.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,006 rural-to-urban migrants in 2004-2005 in Beijing, China. QOL was measured using the Chinese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF). The migrants were also asked to report their experience of being discriminated against in the urban areas (i.e., discrimination experience), and their perceived difference between premigratory expectation and postmigratory reality in the city (i.e., expectation-reality discrepancy). Structural equation modeling (SEM) method was employed to assess the mediation effect.

Results: Discrimination experience not only had a direct significant negative effect on QOL among rural-to-urban migrants, but also had an indirect effect through expectation-reality discrepancy on their QOL. Migrants' expectation-reality discrepancy exerted a partially mediation effect in the relationship between discrimination experience and QOL.

Conclusions: Health promotion and prevention programs in the future to improve migrants' QOL should pay more attention to reducing the discrimination against migrants as well as helping migrants to reduce discrepancy between premigratory expectation and postmigratory reality.