The Work, Economic, and Remittance Stress and Distress of the COVID-19 Pandemic Containment Policies: The Case of Venezuelan Migrants in Argentina and Chile

Deisy Del Real (), Felipe Crowhurst-Pons and Lizeth Olave
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Deisy Del Real: Sociology Department, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Felipe Crowhurst-Pons: Departamento de Ciencia Política y Políticas Públicas, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610315, Chile
Lizeth Olave: Escuela Interdisciplinaria de Estudios Sociales, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, San Martín 1650, Argentina

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-19

Abstract: According to the social stress process model, global crises are macro-level stressors that generate physiological stress and psychological distress. However, existing research has not identified immigrants’ COVID-19 containment policy stressors or examined the social stress of sending remittances amid crises. Drawing on in-depth longitudinal interviews with 46 Venezuelan immigrants—half before and half during the pandemic—in Chile and Argentina, we identified the COVID-19 containment policies’ stressors. We focused on Venezuelan immigrants because they constitute one of the largest internationally displaced populations, with most migrating within South America. We found that the governmental COVID-19 containment measures in both countries generated four stressors: employment loss, income loss, devaluation of employment status, and inability to send needed remittances. Moreover, sending remittances helped some migrants cope with concerns about loved ones in Venezuela. However, sending remittances became a social stressor when immigrants struggled to simultaneously sustain their livelihoods and send financial support to relatives experiencing hardships in Venezuela. For some immigrants, these adversities generated other stressors (e.g., housing instability) and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Broadly, for immigrants, the stressors of global crises transcend international borders and generate high stress, which strains their psychological well-being.

Keywords: Venezuelan migration; social stress process; remittance stressor; mental health; psychological well-being; health disparities; COVID-19 containment policies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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