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‘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

Author

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  • Tual Sawn Khai

    (Sociology and Social Policy, School of Graduate Studies, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, China)

  • Muhammad Asaduzzaman

    (Department of Community Medicine and Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 450 Oslo, Norway
    Planetary Health Working Group, Be-Cause Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
    Planetary Health Alliance, Boston, MA 02115, USA)

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Tual Sawn Khai & Muhammad Asaduzzaman, 2022. "‘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," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-16, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:22:p:15022-:d:973059
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shuangshuang Tang & Xin Li, 2021. "Responding to the pandemic as a family unit: social impacts of COVID-19 on rural migrants in China and their coping strategies," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Salma M Khaled & Richard Gray, 2019. "Depression in migrant workers and nationals of Qatar: An exploratory cross-cultural study," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 65(5), pages 354-367, August.
    3. Nicola Mucci & Veronica Traversini & Gabriele Giorgi & Eleonora Tommasi & Simone De Sio & Giulio Arcangeli, 2019. "Migrant Workers and Psychological Health: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-28, December.
    4. Eva Spiritus-Beerden & An Verelst & Ines Devlieger & Nina Langer Primdahl & Fábio Botelho Guedes & Antonio Chiarenza & Stephanie De Maesschalck & Natalie Durbeej & Rocío Garrido & Margarida Gaspar de , 2021. "Mental Health of Refugees and Migrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Experienced Discrimination and Daily Stressors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-14, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Muhammad Asaduzzaman & Tual Sawn Khai & Vergil de Claro & Farzana Zaman, 2023. "Global Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution: A Call for More Integrated Approaches to Address Inequities in Emerging Health Challenges," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-9, October.

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