Migration and Mental Health: a Study of Low-Income Ethiopian Women Working in Middle Eastern Countries

Birke Anbesse, Charlotte Hanlon, Atalay Alem, Samuel Packer and Rob Whitley
Additional contact information
Birke Anbesse: St Paul's General Specialized Hospital, PO Box 31657, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Charlotte Hanlon: King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK, charlotte.hanlon@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Atalay Alem: Department of Psychiatry, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Samuel Packer: University of Toronto, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
Rob Whitley: Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Medical School, New Hampshire-Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Centre, Lebanon, USA

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 2009, vol. 55, issue 6, 557-568

Abstract: Background: Few studies have explored influences on mental health of migrants moving between non-Western countries. Methods: Focus group discussions were used to explore the experiences of Ethiopian female domestic migrants to Middle Eastern countries, comparing those who developed severe mental illness with those remaining mentally well. Discussion: Prominent self-identified threats to mental health included exploitative treatment, enforced cultural isolation, undermining of cultural identity and disappointment in not achieving expectations. Participants countered these risks by affirming their cultural identity and establishing socio-cultural supports. Conclusions: Mental health of migrant domestic workers may be jeopardized by stressors, leading to experience of social defeat.

Keywords: Ethiopia; mental health; Middle East; migration; qualitative (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:55:y:2009:i:6:p:557-568

DOI: 10.1177/0020764008096704

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