Acculturative stress, depression, and suicidal ideation among Central American immigrants

Exploring risky health behaviors and vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases among transnational undocumented labor migrants from Bangladesh: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

In Bangladesh, remittances constitute a substantial portion of the country's foreign exchange earnings and serve as a primary source of income. However, a considerable number of Bangladeshi citizens reside overseas without proper documentation, exposing them to significant challenges such as limited access to healthcare and socioeconomic opportunities. Moreover, their irregular migration status often results in engaging in risky health behaviors that further exacerbate their vulnerability. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the risky health behavior and HIV/STI susceptibility of Bangladeshi irregular international migrants residing across the globe with undocumented status.

METHODS

Using a qualitative Interpretative Phenomenological Approach (IPA), 25 illegal migrants were interviewed who are currently living illegally or returned to their home country. The author used a thematic approach to code and analyze the data, combining an integrated data-driven inductive approach with a deductive approach. Concurrent processing and coding were facilitated by employing the Granheim model in data analysis.

RESULTS

The study identified four risky health behaviors among irregular Bangladeshi migrants: hazardous living conditions, risky jobs, suicidal ideation, and tobacco consumption. Additionally, the authors found some HIV/STI risk behavior among them including engaging in unprotected sex, consuming alcohol and drugs during sexual activity, and having limited access to medical facilities.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study can be used by health professional, governments, policymakers, NGOs, and concerned agencies to develop welfare strategies and initiatives for vulnerable undocumented migrant workers.

A cross-sectional survey of material deprivation and suicide-related ideation among Vietnamese technical interns in Japan

Background

The economic struggles faced by many technical intern trainees in Japan include the necessity to remit money to their home country, debts owed to intermediaries facilitating their arrival, and reduced working hours due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, there is concern that the pandemic may contribute to mental instability resulting from the significant life changes experienced by the trainees. This study examined the experience of material deprivation among Vietnamese intern trainees in Japan and explored the correlation between material deprivation and suicidal ideation.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted between September and October 2021, involving 310 Vietnamese technical intern trainees. Data from 200 participants were analyzed. The questionnaire included gender, age, duration of residence in Japan, proficiency in the Japanese language, income changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, material deprivation status, and suicidal ideation. Suicidal ideation was assessed using the ninth item of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between material deprivation items and suicidal ideation.

Results

The mean age of the respondents was 26.0 ± 5.1 years, with 62.0% (n = 124) being male. Among the material deprivation items, 74.0% (n = 148) reported food deprivation, 59.0% (n = 118) reported cellphone bill deprivation, and 55.0% (n = 110) reported medical expense deprivation. Suicidal ideation was reported by 23.0% (n = 46) of the respondents. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was associated with age (p = 0.031, odds ratio [OR] = 0.889, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.799-0.990), deprivation of food expenses (p = 0.003, OR = 3.897, 95% CI = 1.597-9.511), and deprivation of cellphone usage (p = 0.021, OR = 3.671, 95% CI = 1.217-11.075).

Conclusion

Vietnamese technical intern trainees in Japan faced various forms of material deprivation, which correlated with a high prevalence of significant psychological issues. Suicidal ideation was influenced by factors such as age, deprivation of food expenses, and inability to pay cellphone bills. The experience of material deprivation could have intensified the mental health challenges faced by Vietnamese trainees, particularly in the demanding circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suicidal Ideation and Attempt among North Korean Refugee Women in South Korea: Factors that Distinguish Suicide Attempt from Suicidal Ideation

BACKGROUND

North Korean Refugee Women (NKRW) are at a high risk for suicide. However, few studies have examined risk factors for suicide among NKRW in South Korea. This study aimed to examine factors increasing risk for suicidal ideation and to identify factors differentiating suicide attempt from ideation among NKRW in South Korea.

METHODS

A sample of 140 NKRW was analyzed; multinomial logistic regression was conducted to identify factors distinguishing respondents with (1) no suicidal ideation, (2) isolated suicidal ideation (without attempts), and (3) ideation with attempts.

RESULTS

About 46% of the sample reported suicidal ideation, and about 18% attempted suicide during the past year. NKRW without any suicidal risk had significantly lower levels of social isolation (OR = 0.86, p = 0.02) and less exposure to traumatic events (OR = 0.89, p = 0.02) than those with suicidal ideation. NKRW who attempted suicide were more likely to have higher levels of stress than those with only suicidal ideation (OR = 1.40, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

This study provides insights into suicide prevention among refugees and emphasized that post-migration life stress significantly differentiates suicidal ideation from attempt among NKRW. Intervening to address current life stress, traumatic experiences, and social isolation may help prevent refugee suicidal ideation and further attempt.

Migration-Related Stressors and Suicidal Ideation in North Korean Refugee Women: The Moderating Effects of Network Composition

Alarmingly high rates of suicidal ideation have been reported in North Korean (NK) refugee women living in South Korea. This population often endures traumatic experiences and violence in North Korea as well as human trafficking and sexual exploitation in intermediary countries. Following resettlement in South Korea, NK refugee women continue facing multiple hardships, such as discrimination, that can negatively affect their mental health and contribute to suicidality. Support from social networks can buffer the harmful impacts of pre- and postmigration stressors on mental health in NK refugee women. Using the stress-buffering hypothesis, the present study examined the moderating effects of network composition (i.e., network diversity and church-based ties) on the associations among premigration trauma, postmigration discrimination, and suicidal ideation in NK refugee women living in South Korea. Participants (N = 273) were NK refugee women living in South Korea who were 19 years of age or older; 34.4% of the participants reported past-year suicidal ideation. The study results indicated that network diversity significantly moderated the association between postmigration discrimination and suicidal ideation, p = .031, whereas networks with church-based ties significantly moderated the association between premigration trauma and suicidal ideation, p = .026. The present findings support the hypothesis that social ties can buffer the appraisal of migration-related stressors on suicidality. These findings have implications for practitioners serving vulnerable populations that experience multiple traumatic events.

Suicide and Suicide-related Behavior among Bhutanese Refugees Resettled in the United States

Suicidal behavior and death by suicide are significant and pressing problems in the Bhutanese refugee community. Currently, Bhutanese refugees are dying by suicide at a rate nearly two times that of the general U.S. population. Proper identification of risk factors for suicide saves lives; however, if risk is underestimated due to culturally inflexible risk assessments, preventable deaths may continue to occur. In this review, we examine specific cultural factors related to psychopathology and suicide among Bhutanese refugees. To contextualize the current suicide crisis among Bhutanese refugees, we propose an integration of the interpersonal psychological theory of suicide (Joiner, 2005) and the cultural model of suicide (Chu, Goldblum, Floyd, & Bongar, 2010). We provide recommendations for preventing suicide from a systems framework and discuss practical lessons from a preliminary study designed to test a culturally-responsive model of suicide in Bhutanese refugees.

A Brief Introduction to the Multidimensional Intercultural Training Acculturation Model (MITA) for Middle Eastern Adolescent Refugees

The large number of adolescent refugees around the world constitutes a great challenge for societies. However, current models of acculturation have been developed for migrants, but not specifically for adolescent refugees. Crucial factors to describe adolescent refugee acculturation, such as intentions to return to their homeland, especially with respect to adolescent refugees with temporary residency and experiences of potentially traumatic events, are missing. Hence, the Multidimensional Intercultural Training Acculturation (MITA) model is introduced. The model proposes that two major concerns for adolescent refugees, which are socio-cultural adjustment and mental health, are predicted by intercultural and social–emotional competence, intentions to return to their homeland, and experiences of traumatic events. Moreover, the effects of three modes of acculturation are also proposed in the model. It is expected that these variables mediate the effects of intercultural competence, social–emotional competence, intentions to return to the homeland, and experiences of traumatic events on socio-cultural adjustment as well as mental health. Finally, it is also expected that in-group social support and out-group social support moderate the direct connection between the experiences of traumatic events and mental health.

Acculturative Stress, Psychological Distress, and Religious Coping Among Latina Young Adult Immigrants

Religion is a source of strength in Latina/o culture during challenging life transitions, such as the immigration process. Guided by a sociological stress-process model, this study examines relations between dimensions of religious coping, acculturative stress, and psychological distress among 530 young Latina women (ages 18-23 years) who recently immigrated to the United States (i.e., approximately 12 months prior to assessment). Higher levels of acculturative stress were associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Negative religious coping (i.e., the tendency to struggle with faith) moderated the relation between acculturative stress and psychological distress. Participants experiencing higher levels of acculturative stress reported greater psychological distress when they indicated more negative religious coping. Positive religious coping (i.e., the tendency to relate to faith with comfort and certainty) was not linked with acculturative stress or psychological distress. Implications for culturally tailored counseling interventions for this underserved and understudied population are discussed.

Anxious-depression among Hispanic/Latinos from different backgrounds: results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

BACKGROUND

Anxious-depression is a constellation of symptoms, frequently encountered among patients in primary care centers. There is a need to study how anxious-depression presents among Hispanic/Latinos of different backgrounds.

OBJECTIVE

To study the construct of anxious-depression among 16,064 Hispanic/Latinos of different backgrounds participating in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. We hypothesized that Hispanic/Latinos will cluster in 3 classes: low anxiety/high depression, high anxiety/low depression and a combined anxious-depression construct.

METHODS

Using latent profile analysis, symptoms of depression and anxiety measured by the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and 10-item State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were evaluated to determine if an anxious-depression typology would result. A multinomial logistic regression analysis explored the association of the 3-class solution with different Hispanic/Latino backgrounds controlling for age, gender, language, education and income.

RESULTS

A 3-class mixed anxious-depression structure emerged with 10% of Hispanic/Latinos in the high, 30% in the moderate and 60% in the low anxious-depression category. After adjusting for age, gender, language preference, income and education, individuals of Puerto Rican background were more likely to experience high (OR = 1.79, p < 0.05) and moderate (OR = 1.36, p < 0.05) (vs. low) anxious-depression symptomatology compared to those of Mexican background. Individuals of Central American and South American background were less likely to experience high (OR = 0.68, p < 0.05) and moderate (OR = 0.8, p < 0.05) (vs. low) anxious-depression compared to those of Mexican background.

CONCLUSION

Anxious-depression symptomatology varied among this sample of Hispanic/Latino groups. These classes should be investigated as to their relationship with different health outcomes relevant to the Hispanic/Latino of different backgrounds.