Objective  To explore the status quo and influencing factors of receiving health education and personal health record establishment among elderly migrant population in China and to provide evidences for promoting utilization of basic health services in the population.

  Methods  From the dataset of National Dynamic Surveillance on Health and Family Planning for Migrant Population conducted across China during May – August 2017, we extracted the data on health education and personal health record establishment for 8 090 migrant people aged 60 years and above; multivariate logistic regression model was adopted to analyze influencing factors of receiving health education and personal health record establishment in the migrant population.

  Results  Of the elderly migrant people surveyed, 4 818 (59.56%) had received health education and 2 575 (31.83%) had their health records being established. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the elderly migrant people with following characteristics were more likely to ever receive health education: with middle school education, having an average monthly household income of 3 000 yuan (RMB) or more, living in the central or western region, participating in medical insurance, having a migration of cross-county but within a municipality, and being uncertain of residing in an immigration region; while, the elderly migrant people of being female, aged 65 years and above, and residing in rural regions were less likely to ever receive health education; the results also revealed that the elderly migrant people of being female, aged 70 years and above, having an average monthly household income of 3 000–6 000 yuan, having a self-purchased house, living in the central or western region, participating in medical insurance, and having a migration of cross-county but within a municipality were more likely to have their health records being established.

  Conclusion  The accessibility of health education and the establishment of health records for the elderly migrant population in China were both at a low level. Gender, age, monthly household income, living region, medical insurance and range of migration are common factors influencing health education acceptance and personal health record establishment for the elderly migrant population in China.