Objective To investigate the quality of life of ecological immigrants in southern Qinghai, China and its related influencing factors, and to provide a basis for improving the quality of life of immigrants.

Methods The multi-stage cluster sampling method was used to select the residents from villages of ecological immigrants and adjacent local residents in two counties of Hainan Prefecture, and the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) quality of life questionnaire and a self-made general status questionnaire were used for household survey.

Results Compared with the non-immigrant group, the immigrant group had significantly higher scores of role physical, bodily pain, and mental health in SF-36 among male immigrants, as well as significantly higher scores of role physical, bodily pain, and social functioning in SF-36 among female immigrants. Among ethnic minorities, immigrants tended to have poor quality of life, and there were significant differences in role physical and role emotional between the immigrant group and the non-immigrant group. Among people with low income, there was a greater difference in quality of life between immigrants and non-immigrants, and there were significant differences in role physical, vitality, and social functioning between the immigrant group and the non-immigrant group. Sex (odds ratio OR=4.50) and educational level (OR=6.88) were influencing factors for physical health, and monthly family income (OR=2.62), marriage (OR=1.12), and ethnicity (OR=2.33) were influencing factors for mental health.

Conclusion Ecological immigrants in southern Qinghai tend to have poorer quality of life than local residents, and targeted mental health intervention should be given to improve their quality of life.