Chinese Migrant Population Health Cohort

Overview

The Chinese Migrant Population Health Cohort is a prospective, multi-center study jointly initiated by Professor Yong Ji, President of Harbin Medical University, and Academician Guoqiang Chen, President of Hainan Medical University, in collaboration with regional partners. It targets older adults (≥60 years) who engage in seasonal migration between cold (Heilongjiang) and tropical (Hainan) regions. The primary objective is to investigate cardiovascular and metabolic disease risks, underlying biological and environmental mechanisms, and effective preventive strategies in this unique population. Participants are recruited from both origin and destination sites and undergo standardized baseline assessments, including questionnaires, physical examinations, medical imaging, biospecimen collection (blood, stool, hair, nails), and environmental exposure monitoring. Longitudinal follow-up includes periodic reassessments, remote monitoring, and data linkage with hospital information systems to capture health outcomes. The study aims to: Define migration-related health risk profiles and disease phenotypes. Elucidate biological and environmental mechanisms influencing disease onset and progression. Develop AI-driven risk prediction models and evaluate targeted interventions through nested randomized controlled trials. Translate findings into clinical guidelines and scalable cross-regional health management models. This is the first cohort in China to systematically investigate the health impacts of seasonal migration in older adults. By integrating epidemiology, multi-omics, environmental data, and health policy translation, the study seeks to improve continuity of care, strengthen climate adaptation, and promote healthy ageing.

Interventions

• Other No intervention
  no intervention

Primary outcome measures

• Number of Participants Experiencing First Major Cardiovascular Event [Time frame: Up to 5 years from baseline]

Secondary outcome measures (5)

• Number of Participants with New-Onset Metabolic Disorders [Time frame: Up to 5 years from baseline]
• Number of Deaths from Any Cause [Time frame: Up to 5 years from baseline]
• Changes in Cardiometabolic Risk Factors [Time frame: Baseline, 2 years, 4 years]
• Change in EQ-5D Quality of Life Score from Baseline [Time frame: Baseline, 2 years, 4 years]
• Change in Cognitive Function Score (MoCA) from Baseline [Time frame: Baseline, 2 years, 4 years]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Permanent residents of Harbin or Hainan who will continue to reside in Harbin or Hainan for the next 5 years.
• Baseline age ≥60 years, with basic communication and comprehension abilities.
• No confirmed diagnosis of end-stage major organic diseases (e.g., advanced heart failure, advanced liver failure, advanced kidney failure, malignant tumors).
• Able to perform activities of daily living independently and capable of completing questionnaires and physical examinations.
• Willing to participate in the study, provide written informed consent, accept long-term follow-up, and provide biological specimens.

Exclusion criteria

• Occurrence of life-threatening acute events (e.g., myocardial infarction, acute heart failure, stroke) within the past 30 days.
• Currently receiving chronic treatment with antiviral drugs (e.g., for HIV) or antipsychotic medications.
• Presence of moderate to severe cognitive impairment preventing survey completion or follow-up cooperation.
• Current acute infectious diseases such as influenza or fever.
• Simultaneous participation in other interventional clinical studies.
• Refusal to sign informed consent or unwillingness to provide biological specimens.
• Any other condition deemed unsuitable for study participation by the investigators based on overall assessment.

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Observational model

Cohort

Study locations

China · 1 center

• Harbin Medical University — Harbin

Publications

• Li C, Liu Z, Li W, Lin Y, Hou L, Niu S, Xing Y, Huang J, Chen Y, Zhang S, Gao X, Xu Y, Wang C, Zhao Q, Liu Q, Ma W, Cai W, Gong P, Luo Y. Projecting future risk of dengue related to hydrometeorological conditions in mainland China under climate change scenarios: a modelling study. Lancet Planet Health. 2023 May;7(5):e397-e406. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(23)00051-7. PMID 37164516
• Goldenberg SM, Fischer F. Migration and health research: past, present, and future. BMC Public Health. 2023 Jul 25;23(1):1425. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-16363-7. PMID 37491195
• Balsari S, Dresser C, Leaning J. Climate Change, Migration, and Civil Strife. Curr Environ Health Rep. 2020 Dec;7(4):404-414. doi: 10.1007/s40572-020-00291-4. PMID 33048318
• Ding F, Wang Q, Hao M, Maude RJ, John Day NP, Lai S, Chen S, Fang L, Ma T, Zheng C, Jiang D. Climate drives the spatiotemporal dynamics of scrub typhus in China. Glob Chang Biol. 2022 Nov;28(22):6618-6628. doi: 10.1111/gcb.16395. Epub 2022 Sep 2. PMID 36056457
• Romanello M, Napoli CD, Green C, Kennard H, Lampard P, Scamman D, Walawender M, Ali Z, Ameli N, Ayeb-Karlsson S, Beggs PJ, Belesova K, Berrang Ford L, Bowen K, Cai W, Callaghan M, Campbell-Lendrum D, Chambers J, Cross TJ, van Daalen KR, Dalin C, Dasandi N, Dasgupta S, Davies M, Dominguez-Salas P, Dubrow R, Ebi KL, Eckelman M, Ekins P, Freyberg C, Gasparyan O, Gordon-Strachan G, Graham H, Gunther S PMID 37977174
• Clech L, Meister S, Belloiseau M, Benmarhnia T, Bonnet E, Casseus A, Cloos P, Dagenais C, De Allegri M, du Lou AD, Franceschin L, Goudet JM, Henrys D, Mathon D, Matin M, Queuille L, Sarker M, Turenne CP, Ridde V. Healthcare system resilience in Bangladesh and Haiti in times of global changes (climate-related events, migration and Covid-19): an interdisciplinary mixed method research protocol. BMC PMID 35291985
• Bogar K, Brensinger CM, Hennessy S, Flory JH, Bell ML, Shi C, Bilker WB, Leonard CE. Climate Change and Ambient Temperature Extremes: Association With Serious Hypoglycemia, Diabetic Ketoacidosis, and Sudden Cardiac Arrest/Ventricular Arrhythmia in People With Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2022 Nov 1;45(11):e171-e173. doi: 10.2337/dc22-1161. No abstract available. PMID 36205432
• Hauer ME, Jacobs SA, Kulp SA. Climate migration amplifies demographic change and population aging. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Jan 16;121(3):e2206192119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2206192119. Epub 2024 Jan 8. PMID 38190539

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07124949 · HMUIRB2024029PRE · ZY04JD01

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗