Mental health of refugees and migrants: risk and protective factors and access to care
- Details
- Category: Mental Health
- Publication Date: 10 October 2023
This is the fifth report of the Global Evidence Review on Health and Migration (GEHM) series. The publication focuses on the mental health needs of refugees and migrants by providing an overview of the available evidence on patterns of risk and protective factors and of facilitators and barriers to care at all levels (individual, family, community and national government). It identifies five high-level themes, each of which has implications for research and policy and is relevant across refugee and migrant groups, contexts and stages of the migration process: self-identity and community support; basic needs and security; cultural concepts of mental health as well as stigma; exposure to adversity and potentially traumatic events; navigating mental health and other systems and services.
Based on these five themes, policy considerations are put forward to serve as a starting point for recognizing and responding to the needs of refugee and migrant groups.
Ensuring that those at risk of mental health conditions are identified and adequately supported, while understanding the factors that facilitate access to mental health services is essential for effective policy and programming.
A Path to Meeting the Medical and Mental Health Needs of Unaccompanied Children in U.S. Communities
- Details
- Category: Mental Health
- Publication Date: April 2023
The number of immigrant children traveling to the United States without a parent or legal guardian has increased considerably over the last decade, reaching a historic high in 2022. When these children leave government custody to live with a family member or other sponsor while they await the outcome of their immigration proceedings, many find it difficult to access the services and supports they need to thrive. Medical and mental health services are among the most critical, and having limited access to these services can harm both children and the communities in which they live. This report is the culmination of a joint initiative by the American Academy of Pediatrics and MPI to study unaccompanied children’s access to medical and mental health services in U.S. communities. It draws on field visits to three cities (Houston, Los Angeles, and New Orleans) and interviews and focus groups with more than 100 professionals working with this population, as well as unaccompanied children themselves.
"If I get sick here, I will never see my children again": The mental health of international migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile
- Details
- Category: Mental Health
- Publication Date: November 29, 20220
A qualitative case study was carried out through individual online interviews to 30 international migrants living in Chile during the pandemic and 10 experts of the social and health care sectors. An inductive content analysis was carried out, a process during which the researchers sought to identify patterns and themes derived from the data. Participants experienced mainly negative mental health outcomes, including anxiety and depression symptomatology. Stressors included the virus itself, work, living and socioeconomic conditions, discrimination, fear for their family and distance caring. Institutional responses to address the mental health of international migrants during the pandemic in Chile were limited and participants relied mainly on individual coping strategies.
Association between time of residence and self-perception of distress, interpersonal relationships, and social role in Venezuelan immigrants in Lima, Peru 2018–19: mixed-methods study
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- Category: Mental Health
- Publication Date: 2018–19
Immigrants arriving in a new country face changes that affect their social, employment, and migratory status. We carried out a mixed-methods study in the rapidly growing Venezuelan immigrant population in Lima, Peru. The objective was to determine whether there was an association between time in Peru and self-perception of symptom distress (SD), interpersonal relationships (IR), and social role (SR). The quantitative central component consisted of a cross-sectional study, surveying 152 participants using the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2 (OQ-45.2). The qualitative component, based on phenomenology, explored experiences and challenges during the migration process. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted in 16 informants.
Cultural Stress and Mental Health Among Venezuelan Migrants: Cross-National Evidence From 2017 To 2024
- Details
- Category: Mental Health
- Publication Date: 2024-10-04
Since 2015, ~ 8 million Venezuelans have fled what was once Latin America’s most prosperous nation, with many relocating to nearby Colombia and others migrating to the United States (U.S.). Emerging research suggests that migration-related cultural stress is a challenge for Venezuelans and is related to an increased risk of mental health problems. However, it remains uncertain how cultural stress and mental health outcomes manifest over time and across countries. e analyze survey data from multiple studies of Venezuelan migrants in Bogotá and Medellín, Colombia, and the U.S. State of Florida. Data collected include self-report measures on discrimination, negative context of reception (NCR), and depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) screening diagnoses, collected from distinct cross-national cohorts in 2017 (N = 638) and 2023–2024 (N = 1,241). Self-reported NCR and discrimination were consistently higher among Venezuelan migrants in Colombia than among Venezuelans in Florida. Levels of cultural stress within countries were variable, with NCR decreasing across years in Florida and self-reported discrimination increasing in both Florida and Colombia. Many Venezuelan migrants reported symptoms of mental health problems, with half of the sample in Colombia (54–56%) and two-fifths of the sample in Florida (39–41%) screening positive for depression in 2017 and 2023–2024. Individuals exposed to higher levels of cultural stress were substantially more likely to screen positive for depression and PTSD. This study is the first to examine cultural stress and mental health among Venezuelan migrants across national contexts and different stages of the still-unfolding international migration crisis.
- Association between Disability and Unmet Food Needs in the Venezuelan Migrant and Refugee Population: Analysis of a Population-Based Survey, 2022
- Latin American Youths’ Migration Journeys and Settlement in the Tarapacá Region in Chile: Implications for Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Perspectives of health practitioners on the challenges to accessing sexual and reproductive health care services for Venezuelan migrant women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Quito, Ecuador
- Strengthening locally led research to respond to the sexual and reproductive health and rights of migrants from Venezuela and Central America
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