Workplace psychosocial stressors experienced by migrant workers in Australia: A cross-sectional study

Employment-related mental health outcomes among Australian migrants: A 19-year longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Migrants experience various stressors at different stages of migration based on their country of origin, ethnic backgrounds, migration context and host country. Employment is one important post-settlement factor associated with mental health among migrant groups. The study investigates whether the country of origin modifies the association between employment and mental health for Australian migrants.

METHODS

Nineteen waves of data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey were used. Using fixed-effects regression, we examined the effects of within-person changes in employment status on mental health outcomes as measured by the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5), controlling for time-varying confounders and stratified by sex and examined effect modification by country of origin.

RESULTS

The relationship between unemployment and mental health was modified by country of origin for men but not women. Unemployed men from Asian (β = -4.85, p < 0.001), African and Middle Eastern (β = -3.61, p < 0.05) countries had lower mental health scores compared to employed Australian-born men. For men, there was evidence of effect modification of the association between employment and mental health by country of origin, with the combined effect of being unemployed and being a migrant from an Asian country was almost three points lower than the summed independent risks of these factors (β = -2.72; p = 0.01). Also, for men, the combined mental health effect of not being in the labour force and coming from a non-English-speaking European country was greater than the summed effects of these factors (β = -2.33; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Tailored employment-support programmes may be beneficial for migrants from ethnic minorities, particularly those from Asian, African and Middle Eastern countries in Australia. Further research is needed to understand why the mental health of migrant men from these countries is particularly vulnerable to unemployment.

Suicide among psychiatric patients who migrated to the UK: a national clinical survey

BACKGROUND

Within the UK, limited research has examined migration and suicide risk. To assist with tailoring mental health care to the needs of different migrant groups, it is important to identify the clinical profile and antecedents to suicide.

METHODS

We focussed on two groups of migrants: those resident in the UK for less than 5 years (recent migrants) and those seeking permission to stay in the UK. Data on mental health patients who died by suicide in the UK between 2011 and 2019 were obtained as part of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health.

FINDINGS

13,948 patients died by suicide between 2011 and 2019: 593 were recent migrants with 48 seeking permission to stay in the UK. The overall suicide rate between 2011 and 2017 for patients seeking to stay was 23.8/100,000 (95% CI 17.3-32.1). There was some uncertainty around this estimate but it appeared higher than the general population suicide rate of 10.6/100,000 population (95% CI 10.5-10.7; p = .0001) for the same period. A higher proportion of migrants were from an ethnic minority group (15% recent migrants vs. 70% seeking to remain vs. 7% non-migrants) and more were viewed as at low long-term risk of suicide (63% recent migrants vs. 76% seeking to remain vs. 57% non-migrants). A higher proportion of recent migrants died within three months of discharge from psychiatric in-patient care (19% vs. 14%) compared to non-migrants. Proportionally more patients seeking to remain had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and other delusional disorders (31% vs. 15%) and more had experienced recent life events compared to non-migrants (71% vs. 51%).

INTERPRETATION

A higher proportion of migrants had severe or acute illness at the time of their suicide. This may be linked to a range of serious stressors and/or lack of connection with services that could have identified signs of illness early. However, clinicians often viewed these patients as low risk. Mental health services should consider the breadth of stressors migrants may face and adopt a multi-agency approach to suicide prevention.

FUNDING

The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership.

Acculturation, Work-Related Stressors, and Respective Coping Strategies among Male Indonesian Migrant Workers in the Manufacturing Industry in Taiwan: A Post-COVID Investigation

Globalization has prompted cross-cultural migration in search of employment opportunities, and poor adaptation during acculturation is widely known to cause additional psychosocial stress. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate migrant workers' perceptions of acculturation, identify work-related stressors, and understand the respective coping strategies among male Indonesians in the manufacturing industry, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifteen workers were recruited and interviewed on their acculturation experiences. We found that the workers were susceptible to forced adaptation to stressful conditions relating to work organization, economic distress, interaction with the manpower agencies, language barriers, and so on. During the pandemic, workers experienced overload, economic hardship, suspended home visits, isolation, discrimination, and fear of cluster infection in the crowded dormitory. We also found that workers were able to adopt coping strategies by capitalizing on resources at the individual, institutional, and governmental policy levels to actively solve problems, increase emotional support, and fortify self-appraisals. The identified coping strategies could inform policy development to assist with positive adaptation and promote the well-being of the migrant worker population.

Exploring the Workplace Bullying of Indonesian Caregivers and Its Influencing Factors in Taiwan

Background: Bullying can pose a risk to the health and safety of humans, including the risk of damage to the emotional, psychosocial, mental, or physical health of employees in the workplace. In this study, we aimed to understand the personal characteristics, mental health, sleep quality, and workplace bullying status of Indonesian caregivers and explore the influencing factors of workplace bullying among them. Methods: This cross-sectional study was based on a structured questionnaire in Indonesian, which was designed to collect the data of essential personal characteristics, workplace bullying, sleep quality, and mental health using the Indonesian versions of the Negative Acts Questionnaire−Revised (NAQ-R), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Brief Symptoms Rating Scale (BSRS-5). Results: A total of 60.9% of Indonesian caregivers never experienced workplace bullying in Taiwan. A multiple regression analysis revealed that being a household caregiver (β = 0.14, p = 0.021), sleep quality (β = 0.18, p = 0.031), and mental health (β = 0.44, p < 0.001) were significantly correlated with the overall workplace bullying scores of the respondents and revealed that these three variables explained 45% of the variance. Conclusions: Taiwan Indonesian caregivers have a similar workplace bullying rate to Indonesian employees in the workplace. This study indicated the relationships among the workplace bullying of foreign caregivers and demonstrated that being a household caregiver, sleep quality, and mental health were closely related.

Competence in Daily Activities and Mental Well-Being among Technical Intern Trainees in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Migrant workers are at a greater risk of having low mental well-being compared to their local counterparts. The Japanese government accepts migrants through its Technical Intern Training programs, but the factors associated with their mental well-being remain unclear. This study aimed to (1) assess trainees' competence and importance in daily activities and (2) examine the association between their competence and mental well-being. We conducted a cross-sectional study using self-administered questionnaires. We recruited trainees through their supervising organizations and social media. We used the Occupational Self-Assessment tool to measure competence and importance in daily activities and the World Health Organization-5 Well-being Index to measure mental well-being. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the association between competence and mental well-being. Among 383 trainees, 30.6% felt difficulty expressing themselves, and 27.4% felt difficulty accomplishing goals. Almost 50% valued self-care, working towards their goals, and managing their finances. Higher competence scores were associated with higher mental well-being scores (B = 0.76; 95% CI = 0.52, 1.00). Competence may be a key to having higher mental well-being among migrant trainees in Japan. A supportive and enabling environment, as well as mental health promotion at the community level, may improve trainees' competence in daily activities.

Prevalence of common mental health issues among migrant workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Previous literature has shown that migrant workers manifested higher common mental issues (especially depressive symptom) compared to local workers due to stressors such as financial constraint and lack of access to healthcare. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to summarize the current body of evidence for the prevalence of depression and anxiety among migrant workers as well as exploring the risk factors and the availability of social support for migrant workers. Seven electronic databases, grey literature and Google Scholar were searched for studies from 2015 to 2021 related to mental health, social support and migrant workers. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale and the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). Study heterogeneity was evaluated using I2 statistics. Random effects meta-analysis results were presented given heterogeneity among studies. The search returned 27 articles and only seven studies were included in meta-analysis, involving 44 365 migrant workers in 17 different countries. The overall prevalence of depression and anxiety among migrant workers was 38.99% (95% CI = 0.27, 0.51) and 27.31% (95% CI = 0.06, 0.58), respectively. Factors such as age, biological (health issue, family history of psychiatric disorder), individual (poor coping skills), occupational (workplace psychosocial stressors, poor working condition, salary and benefits issue, abuse), environmental (limited access towards healthcare, duration of residence, living condition) and social factor (limited social support) were associated with a mental health outcome in migrant workers. The availability of social support for migrant workers was mainly concentrated in emotional type of support. A high prevalence of depression and anxiety was found among migrant workers across the globe. This finding warrants a collective effort by different parties in providing assistance for migrant workers to promote their mental well-being.

Working Hard and Pushing Through: A Thematic Analysis of Humanitarian Migrants' Experiences in the Australian Workforce

Employment can play an important role for humanitarian migrants in their successful integration into a new country. For humanitarian migrants to Australia, there are no skill or language restrictions imposed on resettlement. Despite the benefits, humanitarian migrants often find themselves in low-status jobs and precarious working conditions. The present study examines perceptions of job quality and exposure to workforce psychosocial risk factors such as job strain, bullying, and discrimination. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 30 humanitarian migrants from South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Thematic analysis of transcripts identified three overarching themes: Uncertainty and Insecurity, Working Hard and Pushing Through, and Positive Attitudes and Actions. Overall, our findings show that despite high levels of education and long-term residency in Australia, many of the participants struggled to find a safe and secure place in the workforce. While some spoke about their work in positive terms, their comments should not be taken as confirmation of a positive work environment. Humanitarian migrants face an uphill battle against oppressive working conditions and underemployment.

Prevalence of psychosocial risks among immigrants in France and associations with mental health: findings from the national French Working Conditions Survey

PURPOSE

Few studies examined psychosocial risks among immigrants and explored their association with mental health. Our study aims to 1) describe the prevalence of job strain and iso-strain according to migratory status and model the probability of exposure, 2) verify whether the association between job strain, iso strain and anxiety holds for all immigrant groups.

METHODS

We used the nationally-representative cross-sectional French Working Conditions Survey (N = 24 640). Anxiety was measured with the GAD-Mini. We described the prevalence of job strain and iso-strain according to migratory status and sex. We used multivariate Poisson regressions to model the probability to be exposed to job strain and iso-strain. We described the prevalence of anxiety according to migratory status and sex. In each immigrant group, we modelled the probability of anxiety according to sociodemographic characteristics, lifetime suicidal attempt and job strain/iso-train.

RESULTS

Overall, there were important variations in psychosocial risks prevalence, with immigrants groups more exposed than majority population. After adjustment, being first-generation immigrant from Africa remained associated with job strain (aIRR = 1.21 [0.99; 1.47]), and being second-generation immigrant from Africa with iso-strain (aIRR = 1.33 [1.05; 1.69]). The prevalence of anxiety was the highest in second-generation immigrants from Africa (12%). In this population, job strain and iso-strain were associated with anxiety (aIRR job strain = 2.70[1.22;6.01]; aIRR iso-strain 4.26 [2.29;7.92]).

CONCLUSION

Our study provides first estimates of psychosocial risks among first and second-generation immigrants in France and shows that immigrants are particularly exposed to job strain and iso-strain, which could contribute significantly to their mental health.

How Refugees Experience the Australian Workplace: A Comparative Mixed Methods Study

There is a growing body of evidence indicating poorer working conditions for migrant workers, particularly refugees, compared with native-born workers. Our objectives were to compare exposure to workplace psychosocial stressors in working refugees with other migrant groups and Australian-born workers of Caucasian ancestry and to describe the working experience of refugees. Cross-sectional surveys collected information on the workplace stressors of job complexity, control, security, bullying, and racial discrimination from six migrant groups (n = 1062) and Caucasian Australians (n = 1051); semi-structured face-to-face interviews were used with currently employed refugees (n = 30). Content analysis examined the qualitative data. Compared to all other groups, working refugees were more likely to report experiencing racial discrimination in the workplace and to report exposure to more than three hazards. Content analysis indicated that working refugees are working below their capacity, in terms of hours and qualifications, and in jobs that were low status and lacked security. Despite challenging work conditions, participants reported adequate health and safety training and feeling a sense of pride in their work. These findings highlight the need for better support for refugees in negotiating the workplace once they find employment and the importance of employers providing an inclusive and equitable workplace.

Educational needs of employees in work-related stress management

BACKGROUND

Dynamic and intense socio-economic, scientific and technological development has both positive and negative effects on the business world. Due to increasing problems of work-related stress, the issue of stress management has arisen. Primary stress management and proactive interventions in work-related stress prevention are specifically activated. In this regard, the issue of educational needs of employees for the prevention of work-related stress is of particular importance.

OBJECTIVE

The basic concern that has drawn our attention is whether employees generally show the desire and need to adopt the knowledge in the field of work-related stress prevention and relief and whether they are supported by the management of their business organization.

METHODS

We used several methods to conduct this research: survey, scaling and comparative method. The comparative method was used for the analysis of legal documents in the field of occupational safety and health in six Balkan countries with the aim of determining the legal obligations of employers in managing workplace stress. The research population consisted of employees in small and medium-sized enterprises in the city of Kraljevo (the Republic of Serbia), while the research sample was determined by a random sampling method and included 450 respondents.

RESULTS

Despite the recommendations of international organizations, the employers in most countries are not legally bound to deal with work-related stress management. The results have shown that there is a correlation between work-related risks/stressors and educational needs of employees for learning or acquiring knowledge in the field of work-related stress prevention. Employees express the desire to become acquainted with the possibilities of overcoming work-related stress.

CONCLUSION

Employees' education and training have an invaluable role and considerable importance in primary, work-related stress management. The knowledge about the causes and mechanisms of work-related stress development is an important step towards its prevention. The research has shown that employees express the need for acquiring knowledge to prevent stress at work. In this regard, it is necessary to provide legally binding support of the manager in order to undertake the activities of work-related stress management. Interventions should target work-related stress at its source with a focus on prevention rather than an individual approach whose long-term benefits are uncertain.

Recruiting migrant workers in Australia for Public Health surveys: how sampling strategy make a difference in estimates of workplace hazards

Objectives

One third of the Australian work force are immigrants. Relatively little is known about working conditions for specific migrant groups. The objectives of this paper are to describe and compare the sampling strategies used to recruit migrant workers from specific migrant groups working in Australia into a cross-sectional study designed to produce population estimates of workplace hazards and self-reported health.

Results

Two cross sectional telephone surveys were conducted with immigrants currently working in Australia. Survey 1 used quota sampling from lists provided by a sample broker. Survey 2 used a combination of probability and non-probability sampling, including random sampling from telephone lists. Data from the surveys were weighted and comparisons made with unweighted data. While weighting adjusted for most differences across the sample sources, the likelihood of exposure to workplace hazards depended on exposure types and sampling strategies. We concluded that by using a combination of sampling strategies it is possible to recruit immigrants from specific migrant groups and provide a balanced view of working conditions, although no one strategy was best for all types of measures. Access to a robust sample source for migrants would enable a better perspective to migrant populations’ working conditions.

Does exposure to workplace hazards cluster by occupational or sociodemographic characteristics? An analysis of foreign-born workers in Australia

BACKGROUND

Disparities in exposure to occupational hazards may be linked to social position as well as the type of job a person holds. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of exposure to workplace hazards among three migrant worker groups and to assess whether social disparities in exposure for these groups remain after adjusting for occupational characteristics.

METHODS

Data were collected in 2017/2018 from 1630 Australian workers born in New Zealand, India, and the Philippines. Weighted estimated prevalence of exposure to 10 carcinogens and four psychosocial hazards (discrimination, job strain, vulnerability, and insecurity) was calculated for sociodemographics and occupation. Regression estimated the likelihood of exposure by sociodemographics after adjustment for occupational characteristics.

RESULTS

Exposure to workplace hazards ranged from 11.7% (discrimination) to 61.2% (exposed to at least one carcinogen). Compared with workers born in India, New Zealand born workers were over twice as likely to be exposed to diesel engine exhaust (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.60) and 60% more likely to be exposed to at least one carcinogen (aOR = 1.60) but less likely to be exposed to any psychosocial hazard. Social disparities by country of birth, sex, age, education, and number of years in Australia, as well as company size, employment type, and hours, worked remained associated with greater likelihood of reporting one or more workplace hazards after adjusting for occupational characteristics.

CONCLUSION

Examining sociodemographic as well as occupational characteristics helps to clarify groups most likely to be exposed to workplace hazards who can be hidden when examining occupational characteristics alone.

Mental Well-Being and Its Associated Factors Among Myanmar Migrant Workers in Penang, Malaysia

International migration has become a global phenomenon bringing with it complex and interrelated issues related to the physical and mental well-being of the people involved. This study investigated the mental well-being and factors associated with mental health among Myanmar migrant workers (MMW) in Malaysia. The cross-sectional study was conducted in Penang, Malaysia by using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index Scale (WHO-5) and the Mental Health subscale of 36 items in the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Among 192 migrant workers who were understudied, 79.2% had poor mental well-being according to the WHO-5 scale. The duration of stay in Malaysia and without receiving financial aid from their employers despite having a physical illness were significantly associated with poor mental well-being. Mental health support groups should target migrant workers for mental health education and find ways to provide assistance for them. Furthermore, premigration training should be delivered at the country of origin that also provides information on the availability of mental health support in the host country.

Differential Exposure to Job Stressors: A Comparative Analysis Between Migrant and Australia-Born Workers

AIMS

Previous studies have suggested that migrants have higher exposures to psychosocial job stressors than native-born workers. We explored migrant status-related differences in skill discretion/job complexity and decision authority, and whether the differences varied by gender, age, and educational attainment.

METHODS

Data were from Wave 14 of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. A total number of 9031 persons were included in the analysis. Outcomes included skill discretion/job complexity and decision authority. Exposure included migrant status defined by (i) country of birth (COB), (ii) the combination of COB and English/Non-English dominant language of COB, and (iii) the combination of COB and years since arrival in Australia. Data were analysed using linear regression, adjusting for gender, age, and educational attainment. These covariates were also analysed as effect modifiers of the relationship between migrant status and job stressor exposure.

RESULTS

In the unadjusted analysis, only migrant workers from Non-English-speaking countries (Non-ESC-born) had significantly lower skill discretion and job complexity than Australia-born workers (-0.29, 95% CI: -0.56; -0.01); however, results from fully adjusted models showed that all migrant groups, except migrant workers from Main-English-speaking countries, had significantly lower skill discretion and job complexity than Australia-born workers (overseas-born workers, -0.59, 95% CI: -0.79; -0.38; Non-ESC-born, -1.01, 95% CI: -1.27; -0.75; migrant workers who had arrived ≤5 years ago, -1.33, 95% CI: -1.94; -0.72; arrived 6-10 years ago, -0.92, 95% CI: -1.46; -0.39; and arrived ≥11 years ago, -0.45, 95% CI: -0.67; -0.22). On the contrary, the unadjusted model showed that migrant workers had higher decision authority than Australia-born workers, whereas in the fully adjusted model, no difference in decision authority was found between migrant workers and Australia-born workers. Effect modification results showed that as educational attainment increased, differences in skill discretion and job complexity between Australia-born workers and Non-ESC-born migrants progressively increased; whereas Non-ESC-born migrants with postgraduate degree showed significantly lower decision authority than Australia-born workers.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that skill discretion and job complexity but not decision authority is associated with migrant status. Migrants with high educational attainment from Non-English-speaking countries appear to be most affected by lower skill discretion/job complexity and decision authority; however, differences in skill discretion and job complexity attenuate over time for Non-ESC-born migrants, consistent with an acculturation effect. Low skill discretion and job complexity, to the extent that it overlaps with underemployment, may adversely affect migrant workers' well-being. Targeted language skill support could facilitate migrant integration into the Australian labour market.

Descriptive study of workplace demand, control and bullying among migrant and Australian-born workers by gender: does workplace support make a difference?

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between bullying in migrants and Australians and types of workplace Iso-strain, by gender.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Two descriptive cross-sectional surveys of the Australian working population.

PARTICIPANTS

Australian-born workers of Caucasian ancestry (n=1051, participant response rate=87.3%) and workers born in New Zealand (n=566), India (n=633) and the Philippines (n=431) (participant response rate=79.5%).

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES MEASURES

Using logistic regression, we examined whether self-reported assessment of various forms of bullying in the workplace was associated with Iso-strain (job with high demands and low control and without social support), gender and migrant status.

RESULTS

The prevalence of workplace bullying within the previous year was 14.5%. Sexual harassment, though rare (n=47, 1.8%), was reported by more women than men (83% vs 17%, χ2=19.3, p<0.0001) and more Australia or New Zealand born workers compared to India or the Philippines workers (75.5% vs 25.5%, χ2=4.6, p=0.032). Indian-born women had lower adjusted OR for being bullied and for being intimidated compared to other women. Independent of migrant status, Iso-strain (1), (low support from boss) and Iso-strain (2), (low support from colleagues) predicted being bullied. Women were more likely to be in an Iso-strain (1) job than men (18.7% vs 13.6%, p=0.013) and had twice the risk of being both verbally abused and intimidated compared to men (OR 9 vs OR 5.5, p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Workplace bullying was more likely for women than men. There were few differences between workers from different migrant groups. Iso-strain was the strongest predictor of workplace bullying. Workplaces should encourage supportive and collegiate work environments.

Job Insecurity: A Comparative Analysis between Migrant and Native Workers in Australia

Job insecurity is a modifiable risk factor for poor health outcomes, and exposure to job insecurity varies by population groups. This study assessed if job insecurity exposure varied by migrant status and if the differences varied by gender, age, educational attainment, and occupational skill level. Data were from wave 14 of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey. The outcome was job insecurity. Exposure was migrant status defined by (1) the country of birth (COB), (2) the dominant language of the COB, and (3) the number of years since arrival in Australia. Data were analysed using linear regression, adjusting for gender, age, educational attainment, and occupational skill level. These covariates were also analysed as effect modifiers for the migrant status–job insecurity relationships. Migrant workers, especially those from non-English speaking countries (non-ESC-born), experienced higher job insecurity than Australia-born workers; however, these disparities disappeared after 11+ years post-arrival. The migrant status–job insecurity relationships were modified by educational attainment. Unexpectedly, the disparities in job insecurity between non-ESC-born migrants and Australia-born workers increased with increasing educational attainment, and for those most highly educated, the disparities persisted beyond 11 years post-arrival. Our findings suggested that continuing language skill support and discrimination prevention could facilitate migrant integration into the Australian labour market.