Making Health Accessible: Effect of Digital Integration on Health Depreciation among Rural-urban Migrants

Entering the digital era, the digital integration of rural-urban migrants has a significant impact on improving health. Based on the mixed cross-sectional data from CFPS 2014-2020, this study investigated the impact and mechanisms of digital integration on health depreciation among rural-urban migrants. The findings revealed that, digital integration significantly mitigated health depreciation among rural-urban migrants. In further analysis, digital integration through social, educational, and entertainment channels could significantly reduce the health depreciation of the migrant population. There was a “U-shaped” relationship between the duration of digital integration and health depreciation. Heterogeneity analysis revealed that, the inhibitory effect of digital integration on health depreciation was more pronounced among middle-aged migrants, female migrants, and migrants with a high school education or lower. The study suggested the following implications: continue to increase internet penetration among migrants, expand their channels of digital integration, and guide them to use the internet appropriately and effectively.