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“If I get sick here, I will never see my children again”: The mental health of international migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile

2022 , Alice Blukacz , CABIESES VALDES, BALTICA BEATRIZ , Kate E. Pickett , OBACH KING, ALEXANDRA ALICE , Paula Madrid , CARREÑO CALDERON, ALEJANDRA ANGELICA , MARKKULA NIINA, KATARIINA , Cesar Infante Xibille

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the mental health of international migrants globally. Chile has managed its response to the pandemic in an ongoing context of social unrest and combined regional migratory and humanitarian crisis. The country’s population presents a high prevalence of common mental disorders and a high suicide rate, with limited access to mental healthcare. International migrants in Chile represent 8% of the total population, and although a socioeconomically heterogenous group, they face social vulnerability, a range of mental health stressors and additional barriers to access mental healthcare. This study describes the mental health outcomes, stressors, response, and coping strategies perceived by international migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. Methods and findings A qualitative case study was carried out through individual online interviews to 30 international migrants living in Chile during the pandemic and 10 experts of the social and health care sectors. An inductive content analysis was carried out, a process during which the researchers sought to identify patterns and themes derived from the data. Participants experienced mainly negative mental health outcomes, including anxiety and depression symptomatology. Stressors included the virus itself, work, living and socioeconomic conditions, discrimination, fear for their family and distance caring. Institutional responses to address the mental health of international migrants during the pandemic in Chile were limited and participants relied mainly on individual coping strategies. Conclusions The pandemic can represent an important opportunity to strengthen mental health systems for the general population as well as for population groups experiencing social vulnerability, if the issues identified and the lessons learned are translated into action at national, regional, and international level. Promoting the mental health of international migrants means recognising migration as a social determinant of mental health and adopting a cross-cultural as well as a Human Rights approach.

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Changes in prevalence and correlates of alcohol-use disorders in Finland in an 11-year follow-up

2019 , Sebastián Peña , Jaana Suvisaari , Tommi Härkänen , Niina Markkula , Suoma Saarni , Janne Härkönen , Pia Mäkelä , Seppo Koskinen

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An evaluation of the absolute and relative stability of alexithymia over 11 years in a Finnish general population

2017 , A Hiirola , S Pirkola , M Karukivi , N Markkula , RM Bagby , M Joukamaa , A Jula , E Kronholm , S Saarijärvi , JK Salminen , J Suvisaari , G Taylor , AK Mattila , MARKKULA NIINA, KATARIINA

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Health inequality gap in inmigrant versus local children in Chile

2017 , CABIESES VALDES, BALTICA BEATRIZ , Macarena Chepo , Marcela Oyarte , Niina Markkula , Patricia Bustos , Víctor Pedrero , DELGADO BECERRA, OROZIMBA IRIS

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Antidepressant use among immigrants with depressive disorder living in Finland: A register-based study

2022 , Valentina Kieseppä , MARKKULA NIINA, KATARIINA , Heidi Taipale , Minna Holm , Markus Jokela , Jaana Suvisaari , Antti Tanskanen , Mika Gissler , Venla Lehti

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Use of health services among international migrant children – a systematic review

2018 , Niina Markkula , CABIESES VALDES, BALTICA BEATRIZ , Venla Lehti , Eleonora Uphoff , Sofia Astorga , Francisca Stutzin

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Association of exposure to Toxoplasma gondii, Epstein-Barr Virus, Herpes Simplex virus Type 1 and Cytomegalovirus with new-onset depressive and anxiety disorders: An 11-year follow-up study

2020 , MARKKULA NIINA, KATARIINA , Maija Lindgren , Robert H. Yolken , Jaana Suvisaari

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Purchases of psychotropic drugs among the migrant population in Finland: a nationwide register-based cohort study

2020 , Venla Lehti , Jaana Suvisaari , Mika Gissler , MARKKULA NIINA, KATARIINA

Abstract Background Migrant populations may have different mental health service needs when compared with native populations. One indicator of service use is the use of psychotropic medication. The aim of this study was to compare the purchases of psychotropic drugs among different migrant populations with the native population in Finland. Methods Foreign-born participants (n = 184 805) and their Finnish-born controls (n = 185 183) were identified from the Finnish Central Population Register. Information on their purchases of psychotropic drugs in 2011–15 was collected from the National Prescription Register. A washout period of 2009–10 was used to define incident purchases. Cox regression analysis was the statistical method used. Results At least one incident purchase of a psychotropic drug was identified for 11.1% of migrant women, 11.4% of Finnish-born women, 8.7% of migrant men and 9.8% of Finnish-born men. When controlled for age, sex, marital status, socioeconomic status and social assistance, migrants were less likely to purchase psychotropic drugs (adjusted hazard ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.93–0.98), but there was variation between different drug categories. Recent migrants and migrants from Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa were least likely to purchase drugs. Migrants from Nordic countries and other Western countries most closely resembled the Finnish-born controls. Conclusions Recent migrants in Finland appear to use fewer psychotropic drugs than native Finns. It is important to analyze the reasons for this pattern, as they may indicate delays in access to care or benefits. The heterogeneity of migrant populations must also be considered when developing services to better address their needs.

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Priority setting for mental health research in Chile

2017 , Pedro Zitko , Francesca Borghero , Cynthia Zavala , Niina Markkula , Emilio Santelices , Nicolás Libuy , Alfredo Pemjean

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The Impact of Universal Health Care Programmes on Improving 'Realized Access' to Care for Depression in Chile

2018 , Ricardo Araya , Pedro Zitko , Niina Markkula