Relationship Between Childhood Left-Behind Experience and Quality of Life Among Chinese University Freshmen: Place of Origin Matters

Abstract

Background: Childhood left-behind experience (LBE) has a long-term detrimental effect on the mental health of Chinese University students, but it remains unclear whether childhood LBE negatively impacts the quality of life (QOL) of University students and whether the LBE–QOL association differs between students of rural origin and students of urban origin. This study examined the LBE–QOL relationship and the interactive effect between LBE and place of origin on QOL among Chinese University freshmen.Methods: By using a two-stage random cluster sampling approach, a total of 5,033 freshmen were recruited from two comprehensive universities. The students completed an online, self-administered questionnaire that included sociodemographic variables, a 2-week physical morbidity assessment, and assessments of depressive symptoms, academic stress, and QOL. The Chinese six-item QOL scale was used to assess QOL. Multiple linear regression was used to test the independent LBE–QOL association and the interaction between LBE and place of origin.Results: Students with childhood LBE had significantly lower QOL scores than those without LBE (60.1 ± 13.1 vs. 64.3 ± 11.7, p < 0.001). After adjusting for the potential confounding effects of other sociodemographic variables, 2-week physical morbidity, depressive symptoms, and academic stress, childhood LBE was significantly associated with a lower QOL score (β: −3.022, p < 0.001) and the LBE–place of origin interaction was still significantly associated with the QOL score (β: −2.413, p < 0.001). Overall, compared to non-LBE, LBE was associated with a QOL score decrease of 5.93 among freshmen of urban origin and of 3.01 among freshmen of rural origin.Conclusion: In Chinese University freshmen, childhood LBE is independently associated with poor QOL, and the LBE–QOL association is greater among freshmen from urban backgrounds than among freshmen from rural backgrounds.

Sleep disturbance and quality of life among university freshmen in Qinghai–Tibet Plateau of China

“…Our study results suggested that university freshmen suffered from sleep disturbance, which was associated with poor QoL. School-based preventions and interventions should be considered and implemented to prevent sleep disturbance and hence the reduced QoL of those potentially affected ( 66 ). For instance, psychological counseling services through face-to-face care and telehealth should be both adopted.…”

Elevated levels of loneliness in migrant children compared to nonmigrant children in urban China: a systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies

“…The past four decades in China have witnessed profound social changes. Paramount among these changes is the massive migration of labor, both within cities and from rural areas to urban centers [1][2][3]. For example, in 2021, the total number of internal migrants in China, which included both categories of migration, stood at 384.7 million [4].…”

Relationship between left-behind status and cognitive function in older Chinese adults: a prospective 3-year cohort study

“… 13 However, due to the high population mobility in China’s transforming society, such as long-term business travel by urban workers and rural young labourers moving to cities for work, a large number of older Chinese parents are left behind in their home communities, unable to receive adequate daily care and timely emotional support from their adult children who are living elsewhere. 14 15 Numerous studies have demonstrated that left-behind elderly individuals are at a higher risk of chronic physical illnesses, loneliness, and depressive and anxiety symptoms than non-left-behind elderly individuals. 15–17 Because these factors have been linked to an increased risk of cognitive impairment, 18–21 left-behind older adults may have poorer cognitive function than those with nearby family members.…”