Migration status and internet use: gender differences in mental health among rural older adults in China

Journal article

Background: A study was conducted to examine the impact of Internet use on the mental health of male and female older adults with different migration statuses living in rural China. Methods: Data came from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2020. The propensity score matching method was adopted to analyze the effect of Internet use on mental health of rural older adults as a function of migration status and gender. Results: Our findings indicated a progressive decline in depressive symptoms and a corresponding increase in mental well-being among older migrants, left-behind older adults, and those without migrant children. Furthermore, the mental health benefits associated with Internet use increased alongside this improvement. Importantly, older migrant women derived fewer mental health benefits from Internet use than their male counterparts, as did left-behind older women relative to men in the same cohort. Conclusion: Since the mental health of the older migrants was worse than that of left-behind older adults or those without migrant children, and older migrant women derived fewer mental health benefits from Internet use than their male counterparts, it is necessary to pay more attention to rural older migrants, especially older women, to improve their willingness and ability to use the Internet.

Authors: Li, X; Duan, T; Cui, S; Zhou, D; Hu, Y

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Frontiers Media
• Journal: Frontiers in Public Health
• Volume: 14
• Pages: 1697446
• Article number: 1697446
• Publication date: 2026-02-23
• Acceptance date: 2026-01-30
• DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1697446
• EISSN: 2296-2565
• ISSN: 2296-2565
• Language: English
• Keywords: migration status; internet use; mental health; gender differences; rural older adults