Migration Status, Social Support and Mental Health: A Systematic Review

• In Event: 4151 - International Migration Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 min): Table 5: Health, Wellness, and Migration

Abstract

There is a growing call to consider immigration as a social determinant of health because it shapes almost every aspect of migrants’ health and life outcomes. Moreover, literature highlights the role of supportive networks facilitating, or restricting, access to resources to deal with migration-related stressors affecting mental health. Yet, the mechanisms of how social support mediates the association between migration and mental health remain unclear, but more importantly, the conversation among these three bodies of literature continues to be limited. In order to fill this gap, we seek to identify the mechanisms underlying the associations between migration and mental health, and the role of social support mediating this association, by systematically reviewing available literature published from 1960 to 2019 in PUBMED, PsycInfo, MEDLINE, and Web of Science addressing the effects of migration status (legal and undocumented migrants, migrant workers, asylum seekers and refugees) on common mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, PTSD) with special attention to the effect of social support as moderator. Results will be presented in a narrative synthesis highlighting the gaps and disagreements found in the literature and in a meta-analysis if enough homogeneity is found. This review expects to shed light on the importance of supportive networks on immigrants’ overall mental health, as well as it expects to contribute to improve the work of policymakers, academics and health providers.

Authors

• David Cañarte, University of Florida

• Raffaele Vacca, University of Florida

• Stephanie J. Ramirez, University of Florida