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García-López DDM, Jiménez-Lasserrotte MDM, Briones-Vozmediano É, Ruiz-Fernández MD, Hernández-Padilla JM, Granero-Molina J. Experiences of male irregular migrants during their migration process and reception in Spain: lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1387715. [PMID: 38706544 PMCID: PMC11066255 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1387715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The causes behind migration movements are complex. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how several countries failed to respond to the virus adequately, while simultaneously infringing on people's rights. Male irregular migrants fled their countries of origin and embarked on a perilous migration journey to Spain. The highly restrictive COVID-19 measures and border closures affected the mobility of male irregular migrants, whose reception in the host country posed a challenge. It led to the establishment of emergency facilities to accommodate male irregular migrants affected by COVID-19, which had repercussions on their mental health. The aim of this study was to describe and understand the experiences of male irregular migrants throughout their migration process and reception in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Qualitative descriptive study. Sixteen male irregular migrants participated in this study. Data were collected between January and March 2023 through 16 one-on-one in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data using ATLAS.ti computer software. Results Three main themes emerged: (1) How the COVID-19 pandemic drove male irregular migrants to leave their countries of origin, (2) How COVID-19 lockdown policies affected the migration journey, and (3) Receiving male irregular migrants in a pandemic: a housing labyrinth marked by isolation and loneliness. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic increased the social, employment and health inequalities experienced by male irregular migrants. Border closures exacerbated the migration journey and the social stigmatization of this group, who were seen as carriers of the virus in both transit and host countries. Strict control measures in emergency and reception facilities had a significant psychological impact on the male irregular migrants due to the social isolation they experienced. Health institutions should develop programs to guarantee the care needs of irregular migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Érica Briones-Vozmediano
- Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Grupo de Estudios en Sociedad, Salud, Educación y Cultura (GESEC), University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Grupo de Investigación en Cuidados en Salud del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Lleida (GRECS IRB Lleida), Lleida, Spain
| | | | | | - José Granero-Molina
- Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Temuco, Chile
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Liedl B, Fritsch NS, Samper Mejia C, Verwiebe R. Risk perceptions of individuals living in single-parent households during the COVID-19 crisis: examining the mediating and moderating role of income. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2023; 8:1265302. [PMID: 38144415 PMCID: PMC10746366 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2023.1265302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 crisis had severe social and economic impact on the life of most citizens around the globe. Individuals living in single-parent households were particularly at risk, revealing detrimental labour market outcomes and assessments of future perspectives marked by worries. As it has not been investigated yet, in this paper we study, how their perception about the future and their outlook on how the pandemic will affect them is related to their objective economic resources. Against this background, we examine the subjective risk perception of worsening living standards of individuals living in single-parent households compared to other household types, their objective economic situation based on the logarithmised equivalised disposable household incomes and analyse the relationship between those indicators. Using the German SOEP, including the SOEP-CoV survey from 2020, our findings based on regression modelling reveal that individuals living in single-parent households have been worse off during the pandemic, facing high economic insecurity. Path and interaction models support our assumption that the association between those indicators may not be that straightforward, as there are underlying mechanisms-such as mediation and moderation-of income affecting its direction and strength. With respect to our central hypotheses, our empirical findings point toward (1) a mediation effect, by demonstrating that the subjective risk perception of single-parent households can be partly explained by economic conditions. (2) The moderating effect suggests that the concrete position at the income distribution of households matters as well. While at the lower end of the income distribution, single-parent households reveal particularly worse risk perceptions during the pandemic, at the high end of the income spectrum, risk perceptions are similar for all household types. Thus, individuals living in single-parent households do not perceive higher risks of worsening living standards due to their household situation per se, but rather because they are worse off in terms of their economic situation compared to individuals living in other household types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Liedl
- Department of Sociology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute for Sociology and Social Research, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nina-Sophie Fritsch
- Institute for Sociology and Social Research, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna, Austria
- Faculty of Economics and Social Science, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | | | - Roland Verwiebe
- Faculty of Economics and Social Science, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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Morisod K, Martin T, Rawlinson C, Grazioli VS, von Plessen C, Durand MA, Selby K, Le Pogam MA, Bühler N, Bodenmann P. Facing the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Method Analysis of Asylum Seekers' Experiences and Worries in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. Int J Public Health 2023; 68:1606229. [PMID: 37829084 PMCID: PMC10564980 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2023.1606229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives: The clinical and social burden of the COVID-19 pandemic were high among asylum seekers (ASs). We aimed to understand better ASs' experiences of the pandemic and their sources of worries. Methods: Participants (n = 203) completed a survey about their worries, sleep disorders, and fear of dying. We also conducted semi-structured interviews with ASs living in a community center (n = 15), focusing on how social and living conditions affected their experiences and worries. Results: ASs in community centers experienced more sleep disorders related to the COVID-19 pandemic than those living in private apartments (aOR 2.01, p = 0.045). Similarly, those with lower education had greater fear for their life due to the COVID-19 pandemic (aOR 2.31, p = 0.015). Qualitative findings showed that sharing living spaces was an important source of worries for ASs and that protective measures were perceived to increase social isolation. Conclusion: Our study highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for ASs and the importance of tailoring public health measures to their needs and living conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Morisod
- Department of Vulnerabilities and Social Medicine, University Center of General Medicine and Public Health, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Chair of Medicine for Vulnerable Populations, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tiffany Martin
- Department of Vulnerabilities and Social Medicine, University Center of General Medicine and Public Health, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Systems, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Cloé Rawlinson
- Department of Vulnerabilities and Social Medicine, University Center of General Medicine and Public Health, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Systems, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Véronique S. Grazioli
- Department of Vulnerabilities and Social Medicine, University Center of General Medicine and Public Health, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Chair of Medicine for Vulnerable Populations, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christian von Plessen
- Department of Ambulatory Care, Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University Center of General Medicine and Public Health, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Direction Générale de la Santé (DGS), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Marie-Anne Durand
- UMR1295 Centre d’Epidémiologie et de Recherche en Santé des Populations (CERPOP), Toulouse, France
- University Center of General Medicine and Public Health, Lausanne, Switzerland
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Kevin Selby
- Department of Ambulatory Care, Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University Center of General Medicine and Public Health, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marie-Annick Le Pogam
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Systems, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nolwenn Bühler
- Department of Vulnerabilities and Social Medicine, University Center of General Medicine and Public Health, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Systems, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Bodenmann
- Department of Vulnerabilities and Social Medicine, University Center of General Medicine and Public Health, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Chair of Medicine for Vulnerable Populations, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Martinez-Damia S, Paloma V, Luesia JF, Marta E, Marzana D. Community participation and subjective wellbeing among the immigrant population in Northern Italy: An analysis of mediators. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 71:382-394. [PMID: 36651230 DOI: 10.1002/ajcp.12652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Community participation can be a potential strategy to increase the degree of the subjective wellbeing of immigrants within receiving societies. This study aims to analyze the relationship between immigrants' community participation and their subjective wellbeing, testing the two dimensions of sense of mattering (feeling valued and adding value) and psychological sense of community as potential mediators of this relationship. A total of 308 first-generation immigrants living in Northern Italy filled out a questionnaire (45.1% were members of a migrant community-based organization). We found that immigrants who are members of a migrant organization show a higher level of subjective wellbeing, sense of mattering, and psychological sense of community than those who are not members. We also found that the sense of adding value and the psychological sense of community serve as mediators of the relationship between community participation and subjective wellbeing. The findings suggest that active participation is positively related to immigrants' feeling useful and capable of contributing to society and their feeling of belonging, which, in turn, are positively related to their subjective wellbeing. Practical implications are presented, focusing on the need for generative social policies to move beyond the welfarist perspective in which immigrants only "receive" to embrace an active perspective in which immigrants can also "give."
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Martinez-Damia
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
- Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | | | | | - Elena Marta
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniela Marzana
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
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Shelest-Szumilas O, Wozniak M. The Fears and Hopes of Ukrainian Migrant Workers in Poland in the Pandemic Era. JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION AND INTEGRATION 2023:1-23. [PMID: 37360639 PMCID: PMC10209937 DOI: 10.1007/s12134-023-01051-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many immigrants found themselves in extremely unstable situations. The recent contributions show that employment decline in the first several months of the lockdown was higher for migrant workers than for natives. At the same time, migrants were less likely to find new employment in the recovery months. Such circumstances may result in an increased level of anxiety about one's economic situation. On the other hand, an unfavorable environment may induce resources that could help to overcome it. The paper aims to reveal migrants' concerns together with ambitions connected with the economic activity during the pandemic. The study is based on 30 individual in-depth interviews with Ukrainian migrant workers from Poland. The research approach was based on Natural Language Processing techniques. We employed sentiment analysis algorithms, and on a basis of selected lexicons, we extracted fears and hopes that appear in migrants' narrations. We also identified major topics and associated them with specific sentiments. Pandemic induced several matters connected with e.g., the stability of employment, discrimination, relationships, family, and financial situation. These affairs are usually connected on the basis of a cause-and-effect relationship. In addition, while several topics were common for both male and female participants, some of them were specific for each group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olena Shelest-Szumilas
- Department of Education and Personnel Development, Poznan University of Economics and Business, Poznan, Poland
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Twelve-month follow-up of a randomised clinical trial of a brief group psychological intervention for common mental disorders in Syrian refugees in Jordan. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 2022; 31:e81. [PMID: 36377410 PMCID: PMC9677446 DOI: 10.1017/s2045796022000658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS There is increasing evidence that brief psychological interventions delivered by lay providers can reduce common mental disorders in the short-term. This study evaluates the longer-term impact of a brief, lay provider delivered group psychological intervention (Group Problem Management Plus; gPM+) on the mental health of refugees and their children's mental health. METHODS This single-blind, parallel, controlled trial randomised 410 adult Syrians in Azraq Refugee Camp in Jordan who screened positive for distress and impaired functioning to either five sessions of gPM+ or enhanced usual care (EUC). Primary outcomes were scores on the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25; depression and anxiety scales) assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months and 12 months Secondary outcomes included disability, posttraumatic stress, personally identified problems, prolonged grief, prodromal psychotic symptoms, parenting behaviour and children's mental health. RESULTS Between 15 October 2019 and 2 March 2020, 204 participants were assigned to gPM + and 206 to EUC, and 307 (74.9%) were retained at 12 months. Intent-to-treat analyses indicated that although participants in gPM + had greater reductions in depression at 3 months, at 12 months there were no significant differences between treatment arms on depression (mean difference -0.9, 95% CI -3.2 to 1.3; p = 0.39) or anxiety (mean difference -1.7, 95% CI -4.8 to -1.3; p = 0.06). There were no significant differences between conditions for secondary outcomes except that participants in gPM + had greater increases in positive parenting. CONCLUSIONS The short-term benefits of a brief, psychological programme delivered by lay providers may not be sustained over longer time periods, and there is a need for sustainable programmes that can prolong benefits gained through gPM + .
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