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Herrero-Arias R, Halbostad IV, Diaz E. Norwegian "dugnad" as a rhetorical device in public health communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative study from immigrant's perspectives. Arch Public Health 2024; 82:11. [PMID: 38238794 PMCID: PMC10797926 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-024-01237-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Norwegian government appealed to the term "national dugnad" in the communication of containment measures as a call for collective action to fight the spread of infection. "Dugnad" is traditionally associated with solidarity, social responsibility, and a communal spirit in the form of volunteer work carried out by a local community. Although the word "dugnad" is difficult to translate to other languages, it was used as a rhetorical device by the government to communicate health-related information during the pandemic. This study aims to explore how immigrants understood and related to the term "dugnad" as used in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. METHODS We conducted 55 semi-structured interviews in 2020 with immigrants from Poland (10), Syria (15), Somalia (10), Sri Lanka (10), and Chile (10). Interviews were conducted in participants' mother-tongues. We used systematic text condensation following Malterud's four steps to analyze the data. RESULTS The results are organized into three themes corresponding to: (1) meaning making of the term "dugnad"; (2) attitudes towards the term "dugnad"; and (3) reactions to the use of "dugnad" in a public health context. Overall, participants were familiar with the term "dugnad" and positively associated it with volunteering, unity, and a sense of community. However, we found a variety of reactions towards using this term in a public health context, ranging from agreement to disagreement and irritation. CONCLUSION Health communication during pandemics is crucial for maximizing compliance and gaining control of disease spread. In multicultural societies, governments and authorities should be aware of the linguistic and cultural barriers to public health communication if they are to effectively reach the entire population. The use of culturally specific concepts in this context, specially as rhetorical devices, may hinder effective health communication and increase health inequalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Herrero-Arias
- Department of Health Promotion and Development, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Esperanza Diaz
- Pandemic Center, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
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Langkulsen U, Mareke P, Lambonmung A. Migrants and Healthcare during COVID-19, the Case of Kanchanaburi Province in Thailand. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2724. [PMID: 37893798 PMCID: PMC10606567 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11202724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, as reported by the WHO in December 2019 and subsequently declared a public health emergency of international concern, a distinct set of risk factors and vulnerabilities faced by migrants are affecting their exposure to the pandemic and its associated outcomes. This study aims to analyze the social determinants of health among migrants and their associated factors and compare the socio-demographic characteristics, patterns of COVID-19, and healthcare attendance and utilization among migrant workers and non-migrants. A descriptive study design was used to analyze COVID-19 morbidity among migrant workers. There were a total of 73,762 migrants living in the province by December 2021, with varied statuses and nationalities. Most of the migrants were from Myanmar, constituting about 80.1%. A total of 24,837 COVID-19 cases in Kanchanaburi province were recorded in 2020-2021. COVID-19 cases among migrant workers accounted for 22.3% during the period under review. Half, 2914 (52.7%) of the migrant female workers were victims of COVID-19 infections. Persons under the age of 18 accounted for about one-fifth of all the COVID-19 cases. Older, over 60 years old, Thais had about twice (10.1%) the COVID-19 cases compared with the older migrants (5.5%). There was a significant increase in healthcare attendance and utilization by non-migrants and migrants during the year under review. Migrants are at high risk of COVID-19 infection. Therefore, public health guidance for the prevention of COVID-19 should prioritize safeguarding the health of migrants by considering their individual characteristics and actions. Enhancing health insurance schemes for migrants, particularly vulnerable migrant groups, is critical for inclusive and expanded healthcare access. Physical, social, and economic environments that impact the health and well-being of migrants should be integral to pandemic prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uma Langkulsen
- Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Bangkok 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand;
| | - Portia Mareke
- Biomedical Research and Training Institute, Harare P.O. Box A178, Zimbabwe;
| | - Augustine Lambonmung
- Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Bangkok 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand;
- Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ministry of Health, Tamale P.O. Box TL 16, Ghana
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van den Boom W, Marra E, van der Vliet N, Elberse J, van Dijken S, van Dijk M, Euser S, Derks M, Leurs M, Albers C, Sanderman R, de Bruin M. General Mental Health, Loneliness, and Life Satisfaction in the Context of COVID-19 Policies: A 2-Year Cohort Study in the Netherlands, April 2020-January 2022. Public Health Rep 2023; 138:812-821. [PMID: 37408335 PMCID: PMC10323514 DOI: 10.1177/00333549231176000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although the COVID-19 pandemic has affected mental health, understanding who has been affected most and why is incomplete. We sought to understand changes in mental health in the context of transmission numbers and pandemic (social) restrictions and whether changes in mental health varied among population groups. METHODS We analyzed data from 92 062 people (aged ≥16 years and able to read Dutch) who participated in the Corona Behavioral Unit cohort study at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, the Netherlands, from April 17, 2020, through January 25, 2022. Participants self-reported mental well-being through multiple rounds of surveys. We used a multivariable linear mixed-effects model to analyze loneliness, general mental health, and life satisfaction. RESULTS As strictness of pandemic prevention measures and social restrictions increased, people's feelings of loneliness increased and mental health and life satisfaction decreased. As restrictions were relaxed, loneliness decreased and general mental health improved. Younger people (aged 16-24 y) versus older people (aged ≥40 y), people with low (vs high) education levels, and people living alone (vs living together) were more likely to have negative well-being outcomes. We observed that trajectories over time differed considerably only by age, with participants aged 16-24 years affected substantially more than participants aged ≥40 years by pandemic social restrictions. These patterns were consistent across multiple waves of SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the social restrictions imposed by the Dutch government during the study period were associated with reduced mental well-being, especially among younger people. However, people appeared resilient as they recovered during periods when restrictions were relaxed. Monitoring and supporting well-being, in particular to reduce loneliness, may help younger people during periods of intense social restrictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wijnand van den Boom
- Corona Behavioral Unit, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Elske Marra
- Corona Behavioral Unit, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
- Centre for Environmental Safety and Security, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Nina van der Vliet
- Corona Behavioral Unit, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
- Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands
| | - Janneke Elberse
- Corona Behavioral Unit, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
- Centre for Environmental Safety and Security, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | | | - Mart van Dijk
- Corona Behavioral Unit, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Saskia Euser
- Corona Behavioral Unit, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Mare Derks
- Corona Behavioral Unit, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Mariken Leurs
- Corona Behavioral Unit, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Casper Albers
- Heymans Institute for Psychological Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Robbert Sanderman
- University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, Health and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Marijn de Bruin
- Corona Behavioral Unit, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
- Institute of Health Sciences, IQ Healthcare, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Vrabel K, Johnson SU, Ebrahimi OV, Hoffart A. Anxiety and depressive symptoms among migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway: A two-wave longitudinal study. PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:100115. [PMID: 36942153 PMCID: PMC10008811 DOI: 10.1016/j.psycom.2023.100115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
This study was designed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of migrants living in Norway. We conducted a longitudinal two-waves survey among a sample of 574 migrants and multilevel modelling was used to analyse anxiety, health anxiety and depressive symptoms. Demographic and psychological predictors were investigated. The levels of anxiety, health anxiety and depressive symptoms among migrants decreased from the lockdown (strict social distancing protocols) to phaseout. Reductions in maladaptive coping strategies were related to parallel reductions in anxiety, health anxiety, and depression, and a reduction in loneliness was related to a reduction in depression. The results indicate that the elevated levels of anxiety, health anxiety and depressive symptoms among migrants in the first phase of the pandemic may be temporary.
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Affiliation(s)
- KariAnne Vrabel
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Modum Bad Psychiatric Hospital, Vikersund, Norway
| | - Sverre Urnes Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Modum Bad Psychiatric Hospital, Vikersund, Norway
| | - Omid V Ebrahimi
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Modum Bad Psychiatric Hospital, Vikersund, Norway
| | - Asle Hoffart
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Modum Bad Psychiatric Hospital, Vikersund, Norway
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Hitch L, Masoud D, Hobbs LA, Moujabber M, Cravero K. The vulnerability to COVID-19 of migrants in large urban areas: structural exacerbators and community-level mitigators. Eur J Public Health 2023:7165694. [PMID: 37192833 PMCID: PMC10393490 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckad076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite research on large urban areas in the context of COVID-19, evidence on how these settings impact migrants is still limited. OBJECTIVE To explore exacerbating and mitigating factors of large urban areas on migrants' vulnerabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2022, focused on migrants (foreign-born individuals who have not been naturalized in the host country, regardless of legal immigration status) in urban areas with a population >500 000. After screening 880 studies, 29 studies were included and categorized within the following thematic framework: (i) pre-existing inequities, (ii) governance strategies, (iii) urban design and (iv) engagement of civil society organizations (CSOs). RESULTS Exacerbating factors include pre-existing inequities (e.g. unemployment, financial instability and barriers to healthcare access), exclusionary government responses (e.g. ineligibility for relief funds or unemployment benefits) and residential segregation. Mitigating community-level factors include the engagement of CSOs to fill institutional and governmental gaps through service provision and use of technology. CONCLUSIONS We recommend increased attention to pre-existing structural inequities faced by migrants, more inclusive governance strategies and partnerships between government and CSOs to improve the design and delivery of services to migrants in large urban areas. More research is needed on how urban design can be utilized to mitigate COVID-19 impacts on migrant communities. The factors identified in this systematic review should be considered as part of migrant-inclusive emergency preparedness strategies to address the disproportionate impact of health crises on migrant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Hitch
- Center for Immigrant, Refugee, and Global Health, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY, USA
| | - Dima Masoud
- Center for Immigrant, Refugee, and Global Health, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY, USA
| | - Laura Ansley Hobbs
- Center for Immigrant, Refugee, and Global Health, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY, USA
| | - Marvy Moujabber
- Center for Immigrant, Refugee, and Global Health, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY, USA
| | - Kathleen Cravero
- Center for Immigrant, Refugee, and Global Health, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY, USA
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Czapka EA, Herrero-Arias R, Haj-Younes J, Hasha W, Madar AA, Møen KA, Ortiz-Barreda G, Diaz E. 'Who is telling the truth?' Migrants' experiences with COVID-19 related information in Norway: a qualitative study. Scand J Public Health 2023; 51:454-462. [PMID: 36377047 PMCID: PMC9666409 DOI: 10.1177/14034948221135237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
AIMS The over-representation of migrants among those infected by COVID-19 in high-income countries has spurred questions about insufficient distribution of health information to society's subgroups. Our study aimed to shed light on migrants' experiences with information relating to COVID-19 in Norway. METHODS We conducted 55 semi-structured interviews with migrants from five different countries living in Norway: Somalia (10), Syria (15), Sri Lanka (10), Chile (10), and Poland (10). The interviews were performed by bilingual researchers with a migrant background, audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. RESULTS We identified the four key themes of multiple and contradictory information sources, language barriers, conspiracy theories/speculations, strategies for information provision and ways ahead. Participants accessed and combined several often transnational sources of information. Information was perceived as confusing and contradictory and there was a wish for more translated information. CONCLUSIONS It is important to recognise the specific factors affecting migrants' ability to receive, trust and use health-related information during pandemics and other health crises.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raquel Herrero-Arias
- Department of Welfare and
Participation, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway
| | - Jasmin Haj-Younes
- Department of Global Public Health and
Primary Care, University of Bergen, Norway
| | - Wegdan Hasha
- Department of Global Public Health and
Primary Care, University of Bergen, Norway
| | - Ahmed A. Madar
- Department of Community Medicine and
Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Kathy A. Møen
- Department of Global Public Health and
Primary Care, University of Bergen, Norway
- NORCE Research Centre, Bergen,
Norway
| | - Gaby Ortiz-Barreda
- Department of Health Promotion and
Development, University of Bergen, Norway
- Public Health Research Group,
University of Alicante, Spain
| | - Esperanza Diaz
- Department of Global Public Health and
Primary Care, University of Bergen, Norway
- Unit for Migration and Health,
Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway
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Strongyloides and COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities for Future Research. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:tropicalmed8020127. [PMID: 36828543 PMCID: PMC9967524 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8020127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil transmitted helminth endemic to tropical and subtropical areas that can persist for decades in immunocompetent human hosts as a chronic asymptomatic infection. The use of corticosteroids, a mainstay of treatment for patients hospitalized with severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19), can trigger a life-threatening Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome and disseminated disease. We identified 22 previously published cases of strongyloidiasis occurring in individuals with COVID-19, with one death reported among the seven patients who had Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome. A total of seventeen patients had previously received corticosteroids, and of the five with no prior corticosteroid use, one presented with hyperinfection syndrome. We identify the key challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of Strongyloides within the context of COVID-19, including our imprecise knowledge of the global distribution of Strongyloides, the overlapping symptoms and signs of COVID-19 and Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome, the limited utility of eosinophilia as a clinical marker for strongyloidiasis in this setting, the lack of validated algorithms to screen for Strongyloides prior to corticosteroid use, and the paucity of treatment options for critically ill patients with COVID-19 who cannot take oral ivermectin. Future research should focus on improved diagnostic methods and population prevalence estimates, optimizing the approaches for Strongyloides screening in persons with COVID-19 (including clinical trial participants and strategies for resource-limited settings) and better defining the role of pre-emptive treatment.
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Martínez-Alfonso J, Mesas AE, Jimenez-Olivas N, Cabrera-Majada A, Martínez-Vizcaíno V, Díaz-Olalla JM. Economic Migrants and Clinical Course of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Follow-Up Study. Int J Public Health 2022; 67:1605481. [PMID: 36589473 PMCID: PMC9800286 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2022.1605481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To analyze whether social deprivation and economic migrant (EM) status influence the risk of being hospitalized with COVID-19. Methods: This was a retrospective follow-up study including all patients older than 18 years attending the Daroca Health Center in Madrid, Spain, diagnosed with COVID-19 during September 2020. Data on EM status and other sociodemographic, lifestyle and comorbidities that could affect the clinical course of the infection were obtained from electronic medical records. Results: Of the 796 patients positive for COVID-19, 44 (5.53%) were hospitalized. No significant differences were observed between those who were hospitalized and those who were not in the mean of social deprivation index or socioeconomic status, but EM status was associated with the risk of being hospitalized (p = 0.028). Logistic regression models showed that years of age (OR = 1.07; 95% CI: 1.04-1.10), EM status (OR = 5.72; 95% CI: 2.56-12.63) and hypertension (OR = 2.22; 95% CI: 1.01-4.85) were the only predictors of hospitalization. Conclusion: Our data support that EM status, rather than economic deprivation, is the socioeconomic factor associated with the probability of hospital admission for COVID-19 in Madrid, Spain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arthur Eumann Mesas
- Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain,Postgraduate Program in Public Health, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil,*Correspondence: Arthur Eumann Mesas,
| | | | | | - Vicente Martínez-Vizcaíno
- Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain,Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca, Chile
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Herrero-Arias R, Ortiz-Barreda G, Czapka E, Diaz E. The evolvement of trust in response to the COVID-19 pandemic among migrants in Norway. Int J Equity Health 2022; 21:154. [PMID: 36329455 PMCID: PMC9632581 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-022-01747-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound consequences for the world’s population, particularly for vulnerable groups like migrants who face barriers to healthcare access. Trust in authorities is crucial to any crisis management strategy implemented by a government. However, trust in authorities is linked to trust in other areas of life and it evolves during a crisis. This study explores migrants’ trust in the Norwegian government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews from April to May 2020 with migrants from Somalia (10), Syria (15), Sri Lanka (10), Chile (10) and Poland (10) who were living in Norway. Interviews were conducted via telephone and in participants’ mother tongue. Data were analysed thematically using the systematic text condensation method. Results Trust was established at four levels: (i) in the personal sphere, (ii) in Norwegian society in general, (iii) in the Norwegian authorities’ management of the pandemic, and (iv) in the transnational sphere. Trust was deeply rooted in relationships with individuals, groups and entities, across countries. High trust in authorities emerged in the accounts of participants who felt they were taken care of in the diverse relationships they established in Norway, particularly during the crisis. Conclusion Pandemics create more vulnerability but also opportunities for trust-building. Trust-building can be fostered through relationships in the host country that provide the foundation for migrants to feel included. Healthcare providers are in a position from which they can nurture trust as they can build relationships with migrants over time. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12939-022-01747-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Herrero-Arias
- grid.477239.c0000 0004 1754 9964Department of Welfare and Participation, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, 5063 Bergen, Norway ,Community Work Research Group, Department of Welfare and Participation, University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
| | - Gaby Ortiz-Barreda
- grid.7914.b0000 0004 1936 7443Department of Health Promotion and Development, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway ,grid.7914.b0000 0004 1936 7443Equity in Social Welfare and Global Development Research Group, Department of Health Promotion and Development, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Elżbieta Czapka
- grid.8585.00000 0001 2370 4076Department of Social Sciences, Institute of Sociology, University of Gdańsk, 80-309 Gdańsk, Poland ,grid.412414.60000 0000 9151 4445Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
| | - Esperanza Diaz
- grid.7914.b0000 0004 1936 7443Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway ,grid.418193.60000 0001 1541 4204Unit for Migration and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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Alarcão V, Virgolino A, Stefanovska-Petkovska M, Neves J. Exploring the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health and Well-Being of Migrant Populations in Europe: An Equity-Focused Scoping Review. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:bs12100393. [PMID: 36285962 PMCID: PMC9598275 DOI: 10.3390/bs12100393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The pandemic is aggravating health inequalities, particularly mental health inequalities, while revealing the social determinants of these inequalities, including migration as a social determinant that mediates the interaction of social, economic, cultural, institutional, and structural factors with health indicators. Therefore, it is of most relevance to identify the multiple interconnected factors that influence the mental health and well-being of migrant populations. A scoping review was developed to map the research performed in this area and to identify any gaps in knowledge, following the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. MEDLINE, Scopus, and WHO Global Health research databases on COVID-19 were searched from January 2020 to October 2021. The review followed the inclusion criteria Population/Concept/Context (PCC): Population-Adult International migrants (including refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented migrants); Concept-determinants of (and factors influencing) mental health and well-being; Context-COVID-19 anywhere in the world. Of the sixty-five selected studies, eleven were from European countries and were the focus of this review with special attention to health inequalities experienced by migrants in Europe. The results cover a diversity of themes related to the effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of migrants (country-level environmental factors, social determinants of mental health, mental health indicators and outcomes), responses (such as solidarity and resilience), populations, and study methods. The evidence found can inform recommendations and interventions focused on health promotion and mitigation of the inequalities accentuated by the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violeta Alarcão
- Centro de Investigação e Estudos de Sociologia, Iscte—Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Avenida das Forças Armadas, 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| | - Ana Virgolino
- Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miodraga Stefanovska-Petkovska
- Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Júlia Neves
- Centro de Investigação e Estudos de Sociologia, Iscte—Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Avenida das Forças Armadas, 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
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