The Relationship Between Food Insecurity and Mental Health Among Syrians and Syrian Refugees Working in Agriculture During COVID-19

Clara Calia (), Afnan El-Gayar, Ann-Christin Zuntz, Shaher Abdullateef, Esraa Almashhor, Liz Grant and Lisa Boden
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Clara Calia: School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK
Afnan El-Gayar: The Roslin Institute, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK
Ann-Christin Zuntz: Social Anthropology, School of Political and Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9LD, UK
Shaher Abdullateef: Syrian Academic Expertise, Gaziantep 27200, Turkey
Esraa Almashhor: Syrian Academic Expertise, Gaziantep 27200, Turkey
Liz Grant: Global Health Academy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK
Lisa Boden: The Roslin Institute, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 4, 1-20

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations, such as internally displaced Syrians and Syrian refugees (SSRs) in Middle Eastern host countries, through a syndemic interplay of health, social, and economic challenges. Movement restrictions disrupted their livelihoods resulting in increased food insecurity. A mixed-methods approach was used to address the research question: “What is the relationship between Food Insecurity (FI), Mental Health (MH), and COVID-19 among displaced SSRs working in agriculture”? One hundred SSR participants working in agriculture were recruited from northern Syria and neighbouring countries to participate in a Household Survey. The survey data were analysed using correlation and regression analysis. Additionally, interviews with Household Survey researchers were conducted and thematically analysed. Increasing food insecurity was significantly correlated with worse mental health outcomes among SSR participants ( r s = −0.24, p = 0.018). No moderation effects were found with COVID-19 measures or household responses to the pandemic. However, smaller food portions and storing food were positively correlated with poor mental health and food insecurity. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity and mental health challenges among displaced Syrians and refugees, particularly during Ramadan in 2020, highlighting the compounded effects of overlapping crises and the need for further research into resilience strategies.

Keywords: food insecurity; refugees; mental health; syndemic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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