Journal of Migration and Health最新文献

{"title":"Nutritional status of displaced children including unaccompanied minors on Lesvos, Greece","authors":"H. Benjeddi ,&nbsp;M.P. Gruppen ,&nbsp;S.A. Post ,&nbsp;A.D. Groenewegen ,&nbsp;E.B.K. Egen ,&nbsp;E. Samiotaki Logotheti ,&nbsp;Z. Livaditou ,&nbsp;W.P. Voskuijl ,&nbsp;A.M. Tutu-van Furth ,&nbsp;M. Boele van Hensbroek ,&nbsp;A. Terzidis ,&nbsp;M. van der Kuip","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100393","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100393","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>The number of displaced people worldwide has reached an unprecedented 120 million, of whom 40% are children. There is limited knowledge about the health of children in refugee camps, particularly regarding their nutritional status. This study examines the nutritional status of 304 displaced children (0–18 years) in Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC) Mavrovouni, Lesvos, Greece.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>An observational study was conducted between February and August 2023 at CCAC Mavrovouni. Data collection included demographics, dietary details, health and nutritional status. The primary outcome was the prevalence of wasting, stunting and overweight using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. We also conducted subgroup analyses for unaccompanied minors (UAMs) separately. Secondary outcomes of our study included the role of breastfeeding and other factors that potentially affect nutritional status.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The overall prevalence of stunting among minors in CCAC at baseline was 11%. 10% of children under five were wasted. Of all children, 5% underweight and 13% were overweight. Nutritional status does not change during their stay in the camp: wasting (improvement in Z-score by 0.2, 95% CI -0.5–0.1), stunting (decrease in Z-score by 0.07, 95% CI -0.2–0.3). There was a significantly higher prevalence of stunting in the UAM sub-group (31%, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01). No association was found between breastfeeding and weight-for-height Z-scores under two years old (Z-score difference of 1.3, <em>p</em> = 1.18), but there was in the larger age group up to five (Z-score difference of 0.82, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our results show that poor nutritional status is prevalent amongst displaced children on Lesvos, highlighting their vulnerability. Our results underline the compromised health and vulnerability of UAMs, with nearly one third of this group being stunted.. The unexpected prevalence of overweight highlights complex nutritional challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100393"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Barriers to abortion care for recently arrived migrants in Germany","authors":"Talia Meer ,&nbsp;Alex Müller ,&nbsp;Mascha Kern ,&nbsp;Bornice Biomndo ,&nbsp;Yagmur Demirpehlivan ,&nbsp;Muhammad Helmi Barghouth ,&nbsp;Stefanie Theuring","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100417","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100417","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Germany, abortion is criminalised but permitted without punishment through a specific mandatory counselling process. Navigating this highly regulated pathway may be particularly challenging for recently arrived migrants such as asylum-seekers, who often face specific vulnerabilities. The study analyses the barriers to access to abortion for recent migrants in Germany, to identify barriers for recent migrants with unwanted pregnancies by analysing qualitative data from 17 interviews with counsellors providing mandatory counselling, client advocates, and healthcare providers in the federal states of Berlin and Brandenburg. We employed a thematic analysis approach using MaxQDA.</div><div>We identified two kinds of barriers for migrant access to abortion care in Germany. The first includes barriers that arise from the current legal frameworks for abortion and for migration, specifically related to mandatory counselling for abortion-seekers in Germany, and housing in collective large-scale accommodation facilities for asylum-seekers. The second relates to health system capacity and includes barriers that directly result from the limited and unequal availability of information and services in the languages spoken by clients. Interviews revealed a clear difference between Brandenburg, where abortion services are limited and predominantly provided by white German-speakers, and Berlin, where there is a more diverse network of healthcare providers, client advocates and support persons, relatively better access to care for migrants and language needs are more systemically addressed.</div><div>Our findings of the disproportionate barriers experienced by migrants and asylum-seekers under the current abortion pathway further underscore the importance of the recommendation for decriminalisation of abortion in the first trimester, and of the diversification of healthcare providers. This would ensure better access to abortion care for migrants and asylum-seekers, themselves often a vulnerable group at higher risk for an unwanted pregnancy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100417"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148183847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dispositional optimism, pessimism, and psychological distress among Venezuelan migrants in Chile: The role of acculturative stress","authors":"María José Rivera-Baeza,&nbsp;Camila Salazar-Fernández,&nbsp;Belén Salinas-Rehbein,&nbsp;Paola Raipán-Gómez","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100428","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100428","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Migrants often experience mental health challenges associated with acculturative stress. Dispositional traits, such as optimism and pessimism, may shape how individuals appraise and cope with these challenges, influencing their psychological distress.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to analyse the role of three dimensions of acculturative stress: integration difficulties, nostalgia, and structural barriers, in the relationship between optimism, pessimism and mental health symptoms among Venezuelan migrants living in Chile.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>A two-wave longitudinal study was conducted with 223 Venezuelan migrants residing in Chile. Participants completed validated measures of optimism, pessimism, acculturative stress, and psychological distress. A structural equation model was conducted to analyze the data.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Optimism (T1) was negatively associated with integration difficulties (T2) and structural barriers (T2). Pessimism (T1) was positively associated with three dimensions of acculturative stress (T2). Integration difficulties was positively associated with psychological distress (T2). Optimism and Pessimism at Time 1 were not associated with psychological distress (T2). The model explained 43.2% of the variance in psychological distress.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>These results highlight the importance of both individual dispositions and contextual stressors in understanding the psychological adjustment of migrants. Interventions targeting acculturative stress and fostering adaptive cognitive dispositions may be effective in promoting migrant mental health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100428"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148636116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Immigrant perspectives on navigating the US healthcare system in the Post-COVID-19 landscape: a photo-elicitation project","authors":"Colleen Laurence,&nbsp;Mari-Lynn Drainoni,&nbsp;Sarah L. Kimball,&nbsp;Michael K. Paasche-Orlow,&nbsp;Olanike Asupoto,&nbsp;Sarah Barnes,&nbsp;Annette Nansubuga,&nbsp;Benjamin P. Linas,&nbsp;Lucy B. Schulson","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100424","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100424","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>The experiences of immigrants navigating the United States (US) healthcare system in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era are unknown. This study explores the experiences of recently arrived Haitian and Ugandan immigrants navigating this greatly changed system.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This single-center study used photo-elicitation, a qualitative method in which photos taken by participants served as an interview guide. Participants were recruited between 11/2022 and 08/2023 and took photos that captured their experiences in healthcare overall and as they related to COVID-19. Interviews were in English or Haitian Creole. All interviews were translated as necessary, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using an inductive, grounded approach.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Eleven Haitian and 8 Ugandan participants completed interviews. Five themes emerged: (1) US response to COVID-19 compared to country of origin; (2) the US healthcare system as a welcoming, supportive space; (3) influence of isolation and longing for home on immigrant experience and social determinants of health; (4) difficulties navigating a complex, foreign healthcare system; and (5) experiences participating in photo-elicitation.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>Free protective resources (e.g., masks) and translated public health information engendered trust and should be included in future pandemic efforts. More attention should be devoted to the social isolation of immigrants, especially during pandemics. Supporting health systems to integrate immigration-informed and trauma-informed care into training for all staff is important, as many recent immigrants interact with clinical and nonclinical staff to address health and social needs. Finally, photo-elicitation is an effective research methodology in this population, but must be done thoughtfully to avoid exacerbating feelings of alienation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100424"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13355680/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148424995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Restrictive immigration policy and self-reported health among policy-vulnerable adults in the United States: A difference-in-differences study","authors":"Sebastian O. Ekenze,&nbsp;Lorenza Arena,&nbsp;Jethro W. Zih-Shuo,&nbsp;Rabia Bega,&nbsp;Timothy M. Pawlik","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100434","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100434","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>We evaluated associations between implementation of Florida Senate Bill 1718 and self-reported physical and mental health among Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black adults, and examined whether these associations differed by cancer survivorship.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using 2022–2024 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black adults in Florida were compared with those in Southern control states; cancer survivors were propensity-matched 1:2 to adults without cancer. Survey-weighted difference-in-differences and triple-difference models estimated changes in self-reported poor physical and mental health days. Parallel pre-policy trends were assessed using event-study models on an extended 2020–2024 panel, and p values for state-comparative models were obtained using a wild cluster bootstrap.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among 5991 respondents, the Florida-versus-control increase in poor physical health days among cancer survivors alone was imprecisely estimated (difference-in-differences, 4.97 days; 95% CI, −0.59 to 10.52; bootstrap p = 0.137). In the survey-weighted analysis, implementation of SB 1718 was associated with a differential increase of 7.09 physically unhealthy days per month among cancer survivors relative to adults without cancer (triple difference, 95% CI, 3.63–10.54). However, this estimate was substantially attenuated and no longer statistically significant in the unweighted analysis (1.34 days; 95% CI, −0.19 to 2.87). The estimate also varied when the largest survey weights were excluded or winsorized and was based on small Florida cancer-survivor samples. No robust differential association was identified for mentally unhealthy days.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Although the survey-weighted analysis suggested an increase in physically unhealthy days among cancer survivors following implementation of Florida SB 1718, the magnitude and statistical significance of this estimate were not robust to the weighting specification. Small Florida cancer-survivor samples, unequal survey weights, and limited compositional comparability between Florida and the control states preclude a definitive conclusion regarding the policy’s association with self-reported health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100434"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148771255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Health shocks and earnings trajectories: A comparative study of migrants and natives in Finland","authors":"Waseem Haider ,&nbsp;Laura Salonen ,&nbsp;Elina Kilpi-Jakonen","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100387","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100387","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The earnings gap between migrants and natives is well-documented, but the extent to which health shocks contribute to this gap remains unclear. We estimated the impact of a health shock on long-term earnings for both natives and migrants from different regions of origin.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using high-quality full-population register data, we followed all residents aged 25 to 58 years in 2011, who were employed and did not experience a health shock between 2011 and 2012. A health shock was defined as the unanticipated hospitalization in 2013–14. Annual earnings were followed from 2011 to 2018. Using an event-study approach, we estimated the average treatment effects on the treated using dynamic difference-in-differences models stratified by gender and region of origin.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Health shocks led to substantial and persistent earnings losses. On average, the health shock reduced earnings levels by 7.4 % for natives and 13.5 % for migrants compared to their pre-shock earnings levels. Among migrants, significant declines were observed in earnings among those from European &amp; Western, Russia and the former Soviet Union, as well as from ‘other’ region of origin. By gender, the earnings penalty due to health shocks was greater for migrant men (17.7 %), 1.5 times that of their female counterparts (8.6 %).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The overall migrant–native difference of about six percentage points was small. Even if the average earnings penalty of a health shock is similar across groups, health shocks could still contribute to migrant–native disparities if migrants are more likely to experience such shocks initially.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100387"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Why, how and in what contexts interventions on social determinants of health work on socio-health inequities? The case of returnees from Spain and the United Kingdom in the post-Brexit scenario","authors":"Pilar Serrano-Gallardo,&nbsp;María Fernández-Elorriaga,&nbsp;Laura Esteban-Gonzalo,&nbsp;Laura Otero-García","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100436","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100436","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Return migration, the second most common migration path, is shaped by social determinants of health (SDH). However, little is known about how interventions targeting these determinants work or for whom, especially in the dynamic and complex post-Brexit context. This study aimed to identify SDH-focused interventions to understand for whom, under what circumstances and why they may impact on socio-health inequities in returnees from Spain and the United Kingdom (UK) and to explore how Brexit may have affected the regulation and provision of health and social services for these population. Using a realist synthesis approach following RAMESES guidelines, it retrieved and analyzed academic and grey literature documents alongside expert consultation and co-production workshops. Six context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations were developed: three for Spanish returnees (“Disaffection” “Lost and forsaken” and “Empowerment for action”) and three for British returnees (“In no one's land” “Face to face and at home” and “The best of both worlds”). These configurations reveal challenges such as disaffection, administrative barriers, and loss of rights. Spanish returnees struggled with professional recognition and weakened welfare systems, while British returnees faced uncertainty and rigid administrative requirements, impacting their quality of life. While programs targeting human capital can empower returnees, their exclusivity may exacerbate inequities. Findings highlight the need for tailored interventions addressing SDH to reduce inequities and provide actionable insights for inclusive policy design supporting returnees' well-being and fostering their sense of belonging.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100436"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148843726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tailoring colorectal cancer screening: Knowledge, CRC screening acceptability, and practices among Jordanian and refugee populations","authors":"Raquel Sánchez Marqués,&nbsp;Abdallah Mazin Matouq,&nbsp;Anás Al Muhtaseb,&nbsp;Maria Falcón,&nbsp;Adela Castelló-Pastor,&nbsp;Beatriz Pérez-Gómez,&nbsp;Carmen Rodríguez-Blázquez,&nbsp;Maria João Forjaz,&nbsp;Seifeddin Hussein,&nbsp;Gabriel Díez,&nbsp;María Romay-Barja","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100441","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100441","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most prevalent cancer in Jordan and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Early detection through screening campaigns significantly improves survival. However, Jordan lacks a national screening program, and disparities in access persist, particularly among the refugee population. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding CRC and CRC screening among Jordanian and Syrian refugee populations in Mafraq governorate and to determine the factors associated.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional survey was conducted between May and July 2024 to a sample of 897 individuals aged above 50 years old. Data were collected using a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The findings revealed a limited level of CRC awareness overall, with a median knowledge score of 7 out of 32. Refugees showed a higher level of awareness regarding lifestyle-related risks, and lower awareness of CRC symptoms and screening methods. Both groups expressed high CRC screening acceptability, with refugees demonstrating higher willingness to participate if invited by the Ministry of Health. The screening facilitators identified included free treatment, dissemination of information by healthcare professionals, and accessibility of services. Preventive practices were moderate, though refugees reported lower physical activity, reduced fruit and vegetable intake, and greater economic constraints. Multivariate analysis identified urban residence and higher education as predictors of better CRC knowledge. Rural residence and the type of occupation were associated with healthy habits, while the age, being female, higher education and having a health insurance were associated with better health-seeking behaviors.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These findings underscore the need for culturally adapted, equity-focused CRC education and screening initiatives in Jordan, taking into account the refugee populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100441"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148951395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"When adult children migrate: Intergenerational solidarity, family functioning, and subjective wellbeing among older parents left behind in rural China","authors":"Junzheng Guo,&nbsp;Usama Javed","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100440","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100440","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>China's sustained rural-to-urban labor migration has produced a population of older parents whose adult children work at a substantial distance from the home village. We examined whether the out-migration of adult children (respondents' grown offspring who had left the household for work) was associated with family functioning and subjective well-being among older parents remaining in three rural Chinese provinces (Sichuan, Anhui, and Henan), and which intergenerational solidarity pathways accounted for those associations. We conducted a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey of 479 rural older parents aged 55 or older, using a four-stage cluster sampling design and a 71-item, culturally adapted, closed-response instrument administered face-to-face by trained enumerators. Hierarchical multiple regression, parallel mediation, moderated mediation, multi-group analyses, and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Migration intensity was associated with poorer family functioning (β = -.21, <em>p</em> &lt; .001), which was mediated by reduced associational solidarity (indirect effect = -0.142, 95% CI [-0.207, -0.082]). For subjective well-being, remittance adequacy was the strongest predictor (β = .25, <em>p</em> &lt; .001), with functional solidarity as a compensatory mediator (indirect = 0.066, 95% CI [0.024, 0.114]). Normative filial-piety endorsement was preserved despite eroded contact (a-path = -0.05, ns). Community cohesion moderated the associational pathway (index = 0.058, 95% CI [0.012, 0.110]). Mothers carried larger associational penalties than fathers (β = -.36 vs. -.19; χ² = 4.81, <em>p</em> = .028). Reliability ranged from α = .77 to .88; CFA fit was acceptable (CFI = .964, RMSEA = .054). Because the design was cross-sectional and the sample comprised only households with at least one migrant adult child, estimates describe associations within migrant households rather than causal effects of migration. The offsetting pattern between relational decline and material compensation has direct implications for rural elder-care policy and the international evidence base on left-behind older parents in migration-sending societies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100440"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13636341/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149115860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices among Goma’s displaced populations: A critical investigation in the wake of volcanic eruption and persistent armed conflict","authors":"Olivier Mukuku,&nbsp;Kaymarlin Govender,&nbsp;Hervé Nawej Mutumba,&nbsp;Joseph Lopema Kiloka,&nbsp;Stanislas Okitotsho Wembonyama","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100444","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2026.100444","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>In response to the rising number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Kivu province, particularly in Goma—a city marked by ongoing armed conflict and a recent volcanic eruption—it is crucial to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of internally displaced persons (IDPs) regarding the pandemic. This study aims to better understand the behaviours and perceptions of these vulnerable populations about COVID-19, to tailor health interventions better.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 1 to 30, 2021. A cluster survey was carried out among IDPs in Goma following the Nyiragongo volcanic eruption. The data collected were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate analyses with STATA 15 software.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the 745 respondents, 82.7% demonstrated good knowledge of COVID-19, 86.6% exhibited positive attitudes towards the pandemic, and only 35.6% reported practising the recommended preventive measures. The mean duration of displacement was 9.2 ± 8.9 days (range: 1 to 60 days), with a mean distance of 83.0 ± 69.4 km (range: 8 to 360 km) between their homes and places of refuge. Factors associated with good knowledge included a higher/university educational level (AOR=2.2 [1.2–4.2]). Positive attitudes were predominantly linked to age ≥40 years (AOR=4.0 [1.3–12.3]) and higher/university educational level (AOR=2.2 [1.0–4.5]). Engagement in COVID-19 conferences or awareness sessions emerged as a significant factor for adhering to recommended preventive measures (AOR=2.0 [1.5–2.8]).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>For effective pandemic management in this complex context of displacement and conflict, it is essential to strengthen risk communication by actively involving local communities. This strategy should be accompanied by efforts to make preventive measures accessible to all, particularly the most vulnerable populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100444"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13636302/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149115901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}