TY - JOUR PY - 2009// TI - Migration and Mental Health: a Study of Low-Income Ethiopian Women Working in Middle Eastern Countries JO - International journal of social psychiatry A1 - Packer, Samuel A1 - Alem, Atalay A1 - Hanlon, Charlotte A1 - Anbesse, Birke A1 - Whitley, Rob SP - 557 EP - 568 VL - 55 IS - 6 N2 - 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.
LA - SN - 0020-7640 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0020764008096704 ID - ref1 ER -