Mental health assimilation of rural-urban migrants in developing countries: Evidence from Indonesia's four cities

This study investigates the mental health consequences of rural-urban migrants in Indonesia. We use the migrant economic assimilation model applied to our individual longitudinal data specifically designed to observe migrants' performance. Compared with urban non-migrants, this study finds that migrants' mental health conditions are persistently lower. Moreover, their mental health gap has worsened over the years since migration. Along with this pattern, we also found that migrants' earnings are persistently higher than those of urban non-migrants, with a decline in social support. This study is expected to enrich the literature on the assimilation of internal labour migration in developing countries.

Automated summary

This study examines the impact of rural-urban migration on the mental health of individuals in Indonesia. Using a migrant economic assimilation model and longitudinal data, the study finds that migrants consistently have lower mental health conditions compared to urban non-migrants. Furthermore, their mental health gap has worsened over time. The study also reveals that migrants' earnings remain higher than urban non-migrants, but their social support has declined. This research contributes to the existing literature on internal labor migration assimilation in developing countries.