China Migrant Worker Wellness Project: A Community-Based Participatory Research in Practice

Background and Purpose:China is experiencing one of the largest demographic transitions in history as up to 200 million rural residents (“migrants”) come to urban areas for work—especially in the new economic development zones. Most of these migrant workers are in their late teen and early twenties, have low educational levels and limited understanding of managing life issues in their new urban environment. They struggle with many challenges such as isolation from their families, depression, suicidal attempts, and limited educational opportunities. As non-residents of the urban area, these workers often lack access to social services, and knowledge about how to protect their health and create a stable and positive future.

Industries are also affected by these problems. High rates of absenteeism and worker turnover threaten the productivity of businesses and economic prosperity. There is a critical need to find solutions that benefit both workers and industry. Despite the Chinese government has committed to implementing “innovative social management” programs that could address migrant worker needs, many past “top down” efforts to support migrant workers have failed. Chinese policymakers are keenly interested in testing a new model that could be replicated on a large scale.

A promising approach is the “XXXXXX Participatory Model” developed and tested by XXXXXX during the past 20 years. The model uses highly participatory methods to engage the intended beneficiaries and key stakeholders to identify major factors that affect people’s health and help them take more control over their lives.

Methods: Beginning in 2011, our research team began planning a pilot project to adapt the XXXXXX Model in Jiangsu Province’s Changzhou Xinbei Development zone. Researchers and other partners conducted onsite trainings about participatory design and the XXXXXX Model and developed a mixed methods intervention-control research study. The team conducted 11 baseline focus groups with factory workers and managers, and a survey with a total of 1,114 workers in the intervention and control sites. Research domains include a broad range of worker health, social, educational and employment issues. Follow-up focus groups and interviews with intervention and control groups were conducted in 2014.

Findings: Participants identified 5 domains of problems concerning family, health, social, work, and community. Based on the input of workers and stakeholders from the Advisory Committee, the local partners designed two interventions: 1) a worker-designed “Wellness Guide” about managing health and social issues in the local urban environment; and 2) a worker-initiated “Wellness Houses”— rooms in each factory where workers can meet to socialize and discuss and solve issues, have access to health care, job training and other services. About 5000 copies of the Wellness Guide had been distributed and the Wellness Houses are being set up in each of the 3 pilot factories. By early 2015, 10 more factories have created Wellness House, providing a safety zone for workers to connect with one another.

Conclusion & Implications: Community-based participatory research is a viable approach to form partnership and engage stakeholders to improve health and well-being of young migrant workers in China.