Earlier hukou conversion on the current depression level of older adults: The mediating role of social status and social relationship

Background: With the development of urbanization in China and the liberalization of the hukou conversion policy, more and more people have converted from agricultural hukou to non-agricultural hukou. Based on this, the present study intends to examine whether there is an association between earlier hukou conversion and current depression level in the group of older adults, and the underlying mechanisms of this association. Method The present study used data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) to explore the relationship between earlier hukou conversion and current depression level in older adults, using 10,213 older adults who had a hukou conversion as the study population. This study used ordinary least squares (OLS) and ordered logit models for regression analysis to explore the association between earlier hukou conversion and current depression level. Meanwhile, we further analyzed whether social status and social relationships play a mediating role between earlier hukou conversion and depression level of the older adults. Results The study led to the following conclusions: (1) Older adults who had a hukou conversion had lower levels of depression compared to those who had an agricultural hukou. (2) Compared to older adults who had an agricultural hukou, they had lower level of depression for both active and passive hukou conversions. (3) Older adults who had received lower education and lived in the eastern region exhibited lower level of depression in both actively and passively changing hukou. (4) Changes in social status and social relationship are the mediating mechanisms between hukou conversion and depression level of older adults. Conclusion This study found that there was some association between earlier hukou conversion and current depression level of the group of older adults. There is a significant reduction in depression level of the older adults after they have achieved hukou conversion to obtain a non-agricultural hukou. The government can learn from the formation mechanism of lower depression level of the older adults who had achieved hukou conversion to promote the reform and the development of the hukou system.