Bibliometric Analysis of the Mental Health of International Migrants

Lei Han, Seunghui Jeong, Seongwon Kim, Yunjeong Eom and Minye Jung ()
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Lei Han: Department of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea
Seunghui Jeong: Department of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea
Seongwon Kim: Department of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea
Yunjeong Eom: Department of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea
Minye Jung: Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Software and Digital Healthcare Convergence, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: Background: International migration is a growing global phenomenon involving diverse groups, such as labor migrants, international marriage migrants, refugees, and international students. International migrants face unique mental health challenges influenced by adversities such as social isolation and limited access to mental health services. This study employs bibliometric methods to systematically analyze the global body of literature on international migrants’ mental health. Methods: The literature on the mental health of international migrants published until October 2024 was searched using the Web of Science database. The search terms included (‘International migrants’ OR ‘migrant workers’ OR ‘international students’ OR ‘refugees’ OR ‘asylum seekers’ OR ‘smuggled migrants’) AND ‘mental health’. VOSviewer was used to conduct bibliometric analysis, focusing on co-authorship patterns, keyword co-occurrence, and citation networks. Results: Over the past four decades, research on the mental health of international migrants has grown substantially, with major migration destinations such as the United States, Europe, and Australia playing prominent roles in this field. ‘Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)’ was the most frequent keyword in publications, with strong links to ‘trauma’ and ‘depression’. In recent years, with the impact of global socioenvironmental changes and emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the research focus has gradually shifted towards social support, service accessibility, and cultural adaptation. Conclusions: International migration is a far-reaching global phenomenon, and addressing the mental health of migrant populations is essential for advancing public health, social cohesion, and sustainable development. This study provides the first bibliometric overview of research in this domain, mapping its thematic evolution and collaborative structure. The findings offer valuable insights into the field’s development and may support future interdisciplinary collaboration and the formulation of culturally informed, evidence-based approaches in migrant mental health.

Keywords: mental health; international migrants; migrant workers; international students; refugees; asylum seekers; smuggled migrants; bibliometric analysis (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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