Coping strategies among Ethiopian migrant returnees who were in quarantine in the time of COVID-19: a center-based cross-sectional study

Coping strategies of internally displaced persons and the host community in a region of armed conflict: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Conflict leads to the displacement of people, making it more difficult for them to cope with increasing stress. In war-affected regions, people use different strategies to cope with their stress. This study examines the coping strategies of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and those in host communities in war zones.

METHODS

People living in the IDP camp and host communities in Maiduguri, Nigeria were recruited using a convenient sampling strategy. A 28-item Hausa version of the Brief COPE Scale wasused for data collection. Data were analyzed using linear regression and presented as unstandardized beta (B) and standard error (SE).

RESULTS

A total of 562 participants were recruited (IDPs, n = 281; and the host communities, n = 281). Problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies were identified as the most common approaches used in host communities; however, dysfunctional strategies were morecommon among the IDPs. Age (younger or older adulthood) was identified as a predictor forthe use of emotion-, problem-, and dysfunctional-focused coping strategies.

CONCLUSION

Host communities were more likely to use a problem-and emotion-focused approach to coping, while IDPs were more likely to use dysfunctional strategies. Location and demographic factors (being single, aged 18-29years, >50 years and older) also influenced coping.

Mental Health of Migrants in the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

The Covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected the mental health of individuals due to both the process and the restrictions it imposes. Migrants, especially one of the vulnerable groups, have been adversely affected by the pandemic due to both the difficulties brought by the migration itself and the living conditions unsuitable for Covid-19. All these negative situations caused the migrants to experience psychosocial problems and created a threat in terms of mental health. A limited number of studies have been found in the literature on the psychosocial problems and mental health of migrants. The aim of this study is to review the studies on the evaluation of psychosocial problems and mental health of immigrants during the Covid-19 pandemic and to systematically examine the results of these studies. Systematic searches were conducted in “PubMed”, “Web of Science”, “ScienceDirect” and “Scopus” database with using to ‘migrants, migrant workers, Covid-19 pandemic, mental health, psychosocial issues’ keywords and combinations. Seventeen studies were included in the systematic review. The sample size of the studies varies between 10 and 28.853. As a result of the data, it was determined that the most common psychosocial problems of migrants in the Covid-19 pandemic are depression, anxiety, distress, hopelessness, decrease in socioeconomic level, and social isolation. As a result of the study, it was found that many psychosocial problems that migrants experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic negatively affected their mental health. The evidence determined in this study may guide the psychosocial evaluation of migrants in Covid-19 pandemic.

'I Doubt Myself and Am Losing Everything I Have since COVID Came'-A Case Study of Mental Health and Coping Strategies among Undocumented Myanmar Migrant Workers in Thailand

Migrant populations have always been vulnerable to a high burden of social exclusion, mental disorders, physical illnesses, and economic crises. The current COVID-19 pandemic has further created a frantic plight among them, particularly for undocumented migrant workers in the global south. We have conducted a mixed method study among the undocumented Myanmar migrant workers (UMMWs) in Thailand to explore how the COVID-19 disruption has impacted their mental health and what coping strategies they have adopted. Following the onset of COVID-19 and the recent coup d'état in Myanmar, our current study is the first attempt to understand the mental health status and predicament of this neglected migrant group. A total of 398 UMMWs were included in the online survey, of which 23 participated in qualitative interviews. The major mental health issues reported by the study participants were depression, generalized anxiety disorder, frustration, stress, and panic disorders, while loss of employment, worries about the pandemic, social stigma, lack of access to healthcare, lockdown, and fear of detention were the predominant contributing factors. In response, we identified two key coping mechanisms: coping at a personal level (listening to music, playing online game, praying, and self-motivation) and coping at a social level (chatting with family and friends and visiting religious institutions). These findings point to the importance of policy and intervention programs aimed at upholding mental health at such humanitarian conditions. Sustainable institutional mental health care support and social integration for the migrant workers, irrespective of their legal status, should be ensured.

The lived experience of hotel isolation and quarantine at the Aotearoa New Zealand border for COVID-19: A qualitative descriptive study

Hotel-based Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) is a key public health intervention in Aotearoa New Zealand's (NZ) COVID-19 border control strategy for returning citizens and permanent residents. We aimed to investigate the experience of transiting through MIQ in NZ, to inform future refinements of this type of system. A qualitative thematic analysis method was utilised to explore experiences in depth with seventy-five individuals who had undergone MIQ in NZ between April 2020 and July 2021. Participants were interviewed by telephone or Zoom or completed an online qualitative questionnaire. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and coded; questionnaire responses were sorted and coded. All data were subjected to thematic analysis. Three main themes described the key elements of the participants' experience of MIQ that influenced their overall experiences: 1) The MIQ process, 2) MIQ Hotels, and 3) Individual experience. The variation in participants' overall experience of MIQ was strongly influenced by their perceptions of how well the MIQ process was managed (including communication, flexibility, and compliance with disease prevention and control measures); and the quality of the hotels they were allocated to (in particular hotel staff, meals and information). This valuable insight into the experience of individuals in NZ MIQ hotels can inform better planning, management and implementation of the MIQ process for NZ and adds to the literature of countries utilising such strategies to minimise the transmission of COVID-19, whilst protecting the wellbeing of those using the system.