Long-term civil conflict, migration, and the mental health of adults left behind in Thailand: a longitudinal study

Abstract

Objectives A long-term civil conflict has been occurring in the southernmost provinces of Thailand, and migration to Malaysia has been accelerated by this conflict. The objective of this work was to examine the influence of perceived effects of the unrest, migration of a household member, and children left behind on the reporting of psychiatric symptoms of working age adults. Methods A first round of data collection was conducted in 2014 including interviews with a probability sample of 1102 households and individual interviews with 2058 males and females aged 18-59. In 2016, a second round of data collection was conducted. A fixed effects model was used in the analysis. ResultsThe perceived effect of the unrest on the household was associated with an increased reporting of psychiatric symptoms. Furthermore, the migration of a household member for work and the presence of children left behind were related to an increased reporting of psychiatric symptoms among adults, especially among females. Conclusions The unrest and its associated migration was related to an increased reporting of psychiatric symptoms among working age adults in the study population.

Perceptions of Health Needs among Venezuelan Women Crossing the Border in Northern Chile during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Although there is no evidence that the migrant population presents a higher prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses than the local population, there is evidence that gender can have an impact on the mental health of migrants and on the way in which symptomatology is linked to different experiences, depending on gender [ 78 ]. A review carried out in 2020 [ 79 ] found that studies focused on the mental health of migrants included gender as a variable, showing that among women, anxiety and the symptoms of depression were linked to having left behind children in their country of origin [ 80 ], receiving death threats and experiencing violence in their country of origin and during transit [ 81 ], and having experienced stress and anxiety while pregnant, during birth, and post-pregnancy [ 78 ]. Similarly, our study shows the consequences that migratory processes can have on the mental health of the women interviewed, and the need to design strategies for their protection and social integration in transit and arrival countries, as established by WHO guidance [ 82 ].…”

Psychiatric symptoms among migrants to Malaysia from the southernmost provinces of Thailand

“…Household and family stress is often reported in association with migration (Bhugra, 2004;Ford et al, 2019). Considering the quantitative data, more psychiatric symptoms were reported if there were children left behind.…”

“…Exposure to violent events has been found to increase traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as depression and other mental health disorders (Ford et al, 2019;Jewkes et al, 2017;Miller and Rasmussen, 2010). Previous research has found an increased reporting of psychiatric symptoms associated with the unrest among working age Muslim adults in the southern provinces (Ford et al, 2017(Ford et al, , 2019. This study examines the presence of psychiatric symptoms among the migrants from this area to Malaysia.…”

“…Migrants from the southernmost provinces to Malaysia may experience mental health issues due to their experience with the conflict. Exposure to violent events has been found to increase traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as depression and other mental health disorders (Ford et al, 2019;Jewkes et al, 2017;Miller and Rasmussen, 2010). Previous research has found an increased reporting of psychiatric symptoms associated with the unrest among working age Muslim adults in the southern provinces (Ford et al, 2017(Ford et al, , 2019.…”

“…Southernmost provinces survey. Data for the southern provinces are from the second round of a two round probability sample of Muslim households in the southernmost Thai provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala (Ford et al, 2019). In each household, the head was interviewed and a woman and a man age 18 to 59 were selected randomly for individual interviews.…”