Transnational ties and the health of sub-Saharan African migrants: The moderating role of gender and family separation

Afulani, Patience A.; Torres, Jacqueline M.; Sudhinaraset, May; Asunka, Joseph

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.09.009

Cited by 33 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…The review findings are consistent with other research that shows migrant families maintain emotional, social and economic ties with family, and also use health services and receive support from the home country [1]. There is a growing body of research that shows that these transnational ties can have both positive and negative impacts on migrants' lifestyle behaviours, disease management, social well-being, mental health and information and treatment seeking activities [20,29,[117][118][119][120][121]. Moreover, migrants have reported having to reconcile differences between advice received from family members back home and care-providers on health related matters in maternal or child care [105].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Transnationalism and care of migrant families during pregnancy, postpartum and early-childhood: an integrative review

Merry

Villadsen

Sicard

et al. 2020

BMC Health Serv Res

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Background: Migrant families' transnational ties (i.e., connections to their countries of origin) may contribute to their hardships and/or may be a source of resiliency. A care approach that addresses these transnational ties may foster a positive identity and give coherence to experiences. We conducted an integrative review to determine what is known about transnational ties and the care of migrant families during pregnancy, postpartum and early childhood. Methods: We searched 15 databases to identify literature reporting on a health or social program, service, or care experience of migrant families during pregnancy up to age five in a Western country (i.e., Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand or a European country). Information regarding if and how the service/program/care considered transnational ties, and care-providers' perceptions of transnational ties, was extracted, analyzed and synthesized according to transnational 'ways of belonging' and 'ways of being'. Results: Over 34,000 records were screened; 69 articles were included. Care, programs and services examined included prenatal interventions (a mhealth app, courses, videos, and specialized antenatal care), doula support, maternity care, support groups, primary healthcare and psycho-social early intervention and early childhood programs. The results show that transnational ties in terms of 'ways of belonging' (cultural, religious and linguistic identity) are acknowledged and addressed in care, although important gaps remain. Regarding 'ways of being', including emotional, social, and economic ties with children and other family members, receipt of advice and support from family, and use of health services abroad, there is very little evidence that these are acknowledged and addressed by care-providers. Perceptions of 'ways of belonging' appear to be mixed, with some care-providers being open to and willing to adapt care to accommodate religious, cultural and linguistic differences, while others are not. How care-providers perceive the social, emotional and economic ties and/or the use of services back home, remains relatively unknown. Conclusion: Significant knowledge gaps remain regarding care-providers' perceptions of transnational 'ways of being' and whether and how they take them into account, which may affect their relationships with migrant families and/or the effectiveness of their interventions. Continued efforts are needed to ensure care is culturally safe for migrants.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Transnationalism and care of migrant families during pregnancy, postpartum and early-childhood: an integrative review

Merry

Villadsen

Sicard

et al. 2020

BMC Health Serv Res

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“…Our study also indicates that separation from a child under 18 years old is not significantly associated with anxiety and depression for either women or men. However, another study conducted on sub-Saharan African migrants found that separation from a child is associated with poorer physical health for women ( Afulani et al, 2016 ). Therefore, the link between separation from a child and women’s general health may not be due to the stress of the separation but to the fact that women may “deprive” themselves to send money home, which can impair their health.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Among young Latino adults in the US, cross-border separation from parents during childhood was associated with poorer self-rated health ( Torres, 2013 ). Among several transnational ties, separation from family members was the primary predictor of poorer self-reported health outcomes for sub-Saharan African women residing in France ( Afulani, Torres, Sudhinaraset, & Asunka, 2016 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health of sub-saharan african migrants: The gendered role of migration paths and transnational ties

Pannetier

Lert

Roustide

et al. 2017

SSM - Population Health

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In Europe, migrants are at higher risk of common mental disorders or psychological distress than are natives. Little is known regarding the social determinants of migrant mental health, particularly the roles played by migration conditions and transnational practices, which may manifest themselves in different ways for men and for women. The goal of this paper was to understand the gendered roles of migration paths and transnational ties in mental health among sub-Saharan African migrants residing in the Paris, France, metropolitan area. This study used data from the Parcours study conducted in 2012–2013, which employed a life-event approach to collect data from a representative sample of migrants who visited healthcare facilities (n = 2468). We measured anxiety and depressive symptoms at the time of data collection with the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). Reasons for migration, the living conditions in the host country and transnational ties after migration were taken into account by sex and after adjustment. Our study demonstrates that among sub-Saharan African migrants, mental health is related to the migratory path and the migrant’s situation in the host country but differently for women and men. Among women, anxiety and depressive symptoms were strongly related to having left one’s home country because of threats to one’s life. Among men, residing illegally in the host country was related to impaired mental health. For both women and men, cross-border separation from a child less than 18 years old was not independently associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms. In addition, social and emotional support from relatives and friends—both from the society of origin and of destination—were associated with lower anxiety and depressive symptoms. Migrant mental health may be impaired in the current context of anti-migrant policies and an anti-immigrant social environment in Europe.

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“…More broadly, the evidence from the small scale transnational family literature from Latin America and East Asia emphasizes the negative emotional experiences of migrant parents, especially its gendered dimension. These are documented as early as the 80s for sub-Saharan African transnational mothers living in France who experienced negative health effects by having a child abroad (Afulani, Torres, Sudhinaraset, & Asunka, 2016). More specifically, the literature from Latin America and South East Asia shows transnational mothers feelings' of ambivalence about mothering from afar, with mothers experiencing migration as a form of self-sacrifice (see Boccagni, 2012) while exposing them to a higher risk of depression (Suárez-Orozco & Bernhard, 2008).…”

Section: Evidences Of Emotional Costs For Migrant Parentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transnational migration, health and well-being: Nigerian parents in Ireland and the Netherlands

White

Dito²,

Veale

et al. 2019

CMS

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The phenomenon of families separated across continents is a result of migratory flows in a globalised world. Transnational families occur because one or both parents migrate internationally requiring children to be raised in transnational child-raising arrangements, with the help of caregivers. This study examines the health and the emotional well-being of Nigerian migrant parents living in Ireland and the Netherlands, using comparative analyses based on a survey of close to 300 migrant parents in each host country. Half of the sample in each country is living in transnational families the other half are not. This paper adds to the existing literature on transnational families by including control groups (migrants who are not separated from their children) and comparing migrant parents from the same origin country who live in different host countries, allowing us to identify the significance of migratory context and legal regimes in shaping the emotional well-being and health of parents. The results indicate that the factors that drive the health and emotional well-being of migrant parents are not solely related to their separation from their children but rather to other mediating variables such as legal status, socioeconomic status, and the normative contexts. While Nigerian child fostering norms ease the influence of separation in both contexts, separate analyses of the Irish and the Netherlands sample show the more pronounced consequences of the mediating factors in the Irish sample, highlighting the differences in the migratory trajectories of Nigerian parents in Ireland and the Netherlands.

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Transnational ties and the health of sub-Saharan African migrants: The moderating role of gender and family separation

Cited by 33 publications

References 33 publications

Transnationalism and care of migrant families during pregnancy, postpartum and early-childhood: an integrative review

Transnationalism and care of migrant families during pregnancy, postpartum and early-childhood: an integrative review

Mental health of sub-saharan african migrants: The gendered role of migration paths and transnational ties

Transnational migration, health and well-being: Nigerian parents in Ireland and the Netherlands

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