The health of left-behind children in rural China

•The health left-behind children in rural china is a pressing issue cannot be ignored•left-behind children with parents not living at home are 20.0% more likely to get sick•mother's and father's absence alone have no significant effect on child health•girls are more vulnerable than boys o lack of parental care•younger children are more vulnerable than older children to lack of parental care

Child health is not only a key indicator of overall quality of public health, but also vital for the future economic development of a country. In recent years, with unprecedented urbanization of China, many children in rural areas have been left behind while their parents migrate to urban areas to seek employment opportunities. Thus, it is considerably important for us to understand the effects of lack of parental care on the health status of left-behind children. Using data from China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), we find that the left-behind children in rural areas are significantly 20.0% more likely to get sick or develop chronic conditions than those living with their parents. We also find that girls are more vulnerable than boys and younger children are more vulnerable than older children to lack of parental care.