Interrupted transit and common mental disorders among migrants in Tijuana, Mexico

Abstract

Background: Policies of migration contention can interrupt the transit of people on the move, forcing them to remain in wait in non-destination countries. This liminal condition might impact negatively on migrants’ mental health. Aims: To assess the relationship between interrupted transit and common mental disorders (CMD; symptoms of depression or anxiety), among migrants in shelters in Tijuana, Mexico. Methods: Cross-sectional survey conducted in November to December 2020 and February to April 2021. We assessed depressive symptoms with the Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D-7), and symptoms of anxiety with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-2). We evaluated the association of being in interrupted transit (sent back from the United States to Mexico), as compared to having not crossed to the United States yet or planning to stay in Mexico, with having a CMD (either depressive or anxiety symptoms), as well as the association of other migration-related variables with CMD. Results: Being in interrupted transit (OR = 1.74, 95% CI [1.12, 2.71]), and having experienced violence during transit (OR = 2.50, 95% CI [1.63, 3.82]) were associated with CMD. Conclusions: Interrupted transit is a potential risk factor for mental health problems among migrants. Migration and public health policies should consider the mental health consequences of interrupted transit, and promote initiatives to address the mental health needs of migrants on the move.

Forced migration and psychological distress among migrants in transit through Mexico

“…On the other hand, when compared with studies of the mental health of refugees, 10,32 and in similar populations of in-transit migrants in Mexico, 16 which generally report values over 20% for symptoms of depression and anxiety over the cutoff of the instruments employed, the prevalence of moderate-severe symptoms even in forced migrants in our sample (17.4%) is still relatively low. However, using the moderate-severe range as an indicator is a convention, and if the cutoff were placed in the mild range, the prevalence in our sample would be of 51% (62.2% for forced migrants).…”

“…The exponentiated coefficient means that the scores of participants who were forcibly displaced were on average 12% higher than those of other migrants, showing the importance of distinguishing between sub-groups of migrants, identifying those who may require a targeted approach. 16 A strength of our study was the sample size. Given the difficulties of recruiting in-transit migrants, asylum seekers and refugees for epidemiological studies, it is common to work with small samples, limited to a single location, such as one refugee camp or city.…”

“…9,[13][14][15] Uncertainty regarding the future and the many risks to which people still on the move are exposed can have detrimental consequences on their mental health. 11,16,17 Seen from the point of view of psychological theories of stress and coping in the migration process, [18][19][20] it would be expected that migrants in transit, and especially forced migrants, should be at risk of psychological distress.…”

Longitudinal health survey of women from Venezuela in Colombia (ELSA-VENCOL): first report

“…At the same time, the prevalence of significant depressive symptoms was extremely high [82% at baseline], which likely reflects the psychosocial impact of the conditions associated with migration [17,18]. Research in a similar population (in-transit migrants in Mexico) has shown that women are more likely than men to experience common mental disorders in this type of context [19].…”

“…At the same time, the prevalence of significant depressive symptoms was extremely high [82% at baseline], which likely reflects the psychosocial impact of the conditions associated with migration [17,18]. Research in a similar population (intransit migrants in Mexico) has shown that women are more likely than men to experience common mental disorders in this type of context [19]. In this regard, it is interesting that over the follow-up period the percentage of women who reported having had some health problem or condition in the past month increased while the prevalence of significant depressive symptoms decreased.…”