The COVID-19 Pandemic and Mental Health of Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Migrants

Pinzón‐Espinosa, Justo; Valdés-Florido, María José; Riboldi, Ilaria; Baysak, Erensu; Vieta, Eduard

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2020.11.029

Cited by 31 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions has been well-documented. Migrants may be particularly affected due to pre-existing risk factors ( Júnior et al, 2020 , Falicov et al, 2020 ) and potential exclusion and social isolation ( Doctors of the World 2020 ), and worsening of pre-existing mental health conditions ( Pinzón-Espinosa et al, 2020 , Endale et al, 2020 ); providing remote therapy for these individuals can be challenging ( Mattar and Piwowarczyk, 2020 ). In one Canadian study, however, immigrants were found to be less likely to increase negative health behaviours than Canada-born adults ( Zajacova et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical outcomes and risk factors for COVID-19 among migrant populations in high-income countries: A systematic review

Hayward

Deal

Cheng

et al. 2021

Journal of Migration and Health

247

228

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical outcomes and risk factors for COVID-19 among migrant populations in high-income countries: A systematic review

Hayward

Deal

Cheng

et al. 2021

Journal of Migration and Health

247

228

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…The mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions has been well-documented. Migrants may be particularly affected due to pre-existing risk factors (48, 49) and potential exclusion and social isolation (50), and worsening of pre-existing mental health conditions (51, 52); providing remote therapy for these individuals can be challenging (53). In one Canadian study, however, immigrants were found to be less likely to increase negative health behaviours than Canada-born adults (54).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical outcomes and risk factors for COVID-19 among migrant populations in high-income countries: a systematic review

Hayward

Deal

Cheng

et al. 2020

Preprint

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BackgroundMigrants, including refugees, asylum seekers, labour migrants, and undocumented migrants, now constitute a considerable proportion of most high-income countries’ populations, including their skilled and unskilled workforces. Migrants may be at increased risk of COVID-19 due to their health and social circumstances, yet the extent to which they are being affected and their predisposing risk factors are not clearly understood. We did a systematic review to assess clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in migrant populations (cases, hospitalisations, deaths), indirect health and social impacts, and to determine key risk factors.MethodsWe did a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines, registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020222135). We searched databases including PubMed, Global Health, Scopus, CINAHL, and pre-print databases (medRxiv) via the WHO Global Research on COVID-19 database to Nov 18, 2020 for peer-reviewed and grey literature pertaining to migrants (defined as foreign born) and COVID-19 in 82 high-income countries. We used our international networks to source national datasets and grey literature. Data were extracted on our primary outcomes (cases, hospitalisations, deaths) and we evaluated secondary outcomes on indirect health and social impacts, and risk factors, using narrative synthesis.Results3016 data sources were screened with 158 from 15 countries included in the analysis (35 data sources for primary outcomes: cases [21], hospitalisations [4]; deaths [15]; 123 for secondary outcomes). We found that migrants are at increased risk of infection and are disproportionately represented among COVID-19 cases. Available datasets suggest a similarly disproportionate representation of migrants in reported COVID-19 deaths, as well as increased all-cause mortality in migrants in some countries in 2020. Undocumented migrants, migrant health and care workers, and migrants housed in camps and labour compounds may have been especially affected. In general, migrants have higher levels of many risk factors and vulnerabilities relevant to COVID-19, including increased exposure to SARS-CoV-2 due to high-risk occupations and overcrowded accommodation, and barriers to health care including inadequate information, language barriers, and reduced entitlement to healthcare coverage related to their immigration status.ConclusionsMigrants in high-income countries are at high risk of exposure to, and infection with, COVID-19. These data are of immediate relevance to national public health responses to the pandemic and should inform policymaking on strategies for reducing transmission of COVID-19 in this population. Robust data on testing uptake and clinical outcomes in migrants, and barriers and facilitators to COVID-19 vaccination, are urgently needed, alongside strengthening engagement with diverse migrant groups.

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“…On the one hand, priority was given to the protection of public health, ignoring the need for improving infrastructures and protecting mental health [43], intensifying interpreters' (or cultural mediators') contribution to collective accommodation centers [44] and protecting jobs during COVID-19 [45]. Less attention has been paid to the loss of lifestyle due to decreased physical activity [46] and increased likelihood for stress and mental health problems [17,47,48].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Conditions, Employment, Career Development and Well-Being of Refugee Researchers

Tzoraki¹,

Dimitrova

Barzakov

et al. 2021

Societies

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The ongoing ‘refugee crisis’ of the past years has led to the migration of refugee researchers (RRs) to European countries. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RRs often had to work from home and/or to continue their social, cultural and economic integration process under new conditions. An online survey carried out to explore the impact of the pandemic on the refugee researchers showed that RRs found it difficult to adapt their everyday working life to the ‘home’ setting. The majority have had neither a suitable work environment at home nor the appropriate technology. Although they stated that they are rather pleased with the measures taken by the public authorities, they expressed concern about their vulnerability due to their precarious contracts and the bureaucratic asylum procedures, as the pandemic has had a negative impact on these major issues. The majority of RRs working in academia seem not to have been affected at all as far as their income is concerned, while the majority of those employed in other sectors became unemployed during the pandemic (58%). Recommendations are provided to the public authorities and policy makers to assist RRs to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic on their life.

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The COVID-19 Pandemic and Mental Health of Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Migrants

Cited by 31 publications

References 8 publications

Clinical outcomes and risk factors for COVID-19 among migrant populations in high-income countries: A systematic review

Clinical outcomes and risk factors for COVID-19 among migrant populations in high-income countries: A systematic review

Clinical outcomes and risk factors for COVID-19 among migrant populations in high-income countries: a systematic review

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Conditions, Employment, Career Development and Well-Being of Refugee Researchers

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