You can find the selection of abstracts and authors below this section.
A Quick Recap of the 2022 Masterclass
Each year AIGHD and JLI also hold a Masterclass on the same theme as the Symposium. The purpose of the Masterclass is to give early-stage researchers the opportunity to practice presenting their work, receive constructive feedback, and network not only with peers but also with experts. The Masterclass gives researchers who are just finding their feet within academia the chance to speak with experts in global health and development. It also brings students from different disciplines together to network, learn from one another, and draw inspiration from the experts.
Young investigators (PhD students and beyond) submit abstracts that are carefully reviewed by a highly selective scientific committee. The Masterclass is taught by the Joep Lange Fellows and guest fellows selected by the scientific committee. The masterclass provides an intimate space where young investigators get to present their research and interact with experts in the field. While receiving invaluable feedback and space for questions, masterclass participants are able to make connections with peers and experts in global health and development.
Each year, the masterclass is held online to allow for more diverse participation among people living outside of the Netherlands in order to build capacity globally. This year’s eight abstract winners had the opportunity to discuss their research on the topic Migration and Health with peers and experts leading the masterclass, Charles Agyemang, Anna Vassall, Catherine Kyobutungi and Melissa Parker.
The multidisciplinary character of the topics and Masters’ backgrounds made for striking discussions. Anna Vassall provided a health economic perspective whereas Charles Agyemang looked at the issues from a migration health perspective. Catherine Kyobutungi shared her expertise through an epidemiological lens and Melissa Parker provided some medical anthropology arguments. It highlighted, once again, the broad reach of global health where issues must be addressed from multiple angles and disciplines. The newly established connections in addition to the critical feedback is an important step in the professional development of these abstract winning researchers.
Selected Authors and Abstract Links
Parent-child nativity, race, ethnicity, and mental health conditions among U.S. children
Author: Kasra Zarei
Background
Over a quarter of U.S. children have lived with at least one immigrant parent. We assessed the associations between race, ethnicity, and parent-child nativity, and mental health conditions in the U.S.
Conclusion
We found significant differences in several mental health conditions in children by parent-child nativity, race, and ethnicity that could not be explained by demographics, childhood adversity, and healthcare access and use. Lower odds of mental health conditions among minority children could represent differences due to factors such as differential reporting, and higher odds of mental health conditions, including in third- and higher generation children, need further investigation.
You can download their abstract here.
Situation and economic analysis of HIV services for migrants in Russia
Author: Daniel Kashnitsky
Background
The Russian Federation has the highest HIV incidence in the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) — 55 new HIV cases per 100,000 people. At the same time, Russia is one of 19 countries in the world that have restrictions on the stay of foreigners living with HIV. It is now increasingly recognized that legislative barriers restricting the entry for foreigners living with HIV as well as deportation laws are among the reasons behind a hidden epidemic in the country. Today, HIV is considered to be a chronic disease: antiretroviral therapy (ART) allows people living with HIV (PLHIV) to have a normal life expectancy, avoid transmitting HIV to their partners, and have healthy children. Therefore, in most countries of the world, particularly in EECA, national norms discriminating against migrants and their ability to remain in the country have been abolished. However, in the Russian Federation they are still in effect even though the overall incidence of HIV in Russia was nearly three times higher (294.2 cases per 100,000) than that among foreigners (94.4 cases per 100,000 (of tested samples)).
Conclusion: To control the spread of HIV in the Russian Federation, create conditions allowing foreigners living with HIV to not have to do so in hiding, and reduce budgetary costs for specialized medical care, we recommend that the government agencies and civil society in the Russian Federation and in migrants’ countries of origin in the EECA region take the following measures:
1. Russia should adopt laws that allow all migrants, regardless of their status or country of origin, to access HIV services on the same terms as Russian citizens.
2. Develop international and regional funding mechanisms to ensure access by migrants in the Russian Federation to HIV and tuberculosis (TB) health services.
3. Develop a model regulation and initiate the mechanisms of interaction between AIDS centers of the Russian Federation and those of migrants’ countries of origin to define the possibilities of remote registration with health institutions in the countries of origin and the initiation of treatment; refrain from issuing decisions on expulsion from the Russian Federation in case of documentary confirmation of the migrant’s remote registration with health facilities in the country of origin.
4. Lift the regulations restricting foreigners’ stay in and surrounding deportation from the Russian Federation, allowing foreigners living with HIV to receive temporary residence permits or to retain permits that have been previously issued to them. Consider ending the practice of cancelling residence permits based solely on the permit holder’s HIV status in their home countries.
5. Introduce interventions aimed at the comprehensive support of migrants— including programs for HIV, TB, and general STI prevention, early diagnosis and access to relevant health services.
6. Develop the mechanisms for remote monitoring of the treatment process of citizens who have migrated to ensure uninterrupted treatment using telemedicine.
You can download their abstract here.
Migrants' living conditions, perceived health needs and implications for the use of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance in the UK: a qualitative study
Author: Shajwan Nanakali
Background
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is among the top public health concerns around the globe. Migration and international travel are considered to play important roles in acquisition and spread of antimicrobial resistance. It is a common belief and hypothesis that migrants coming from countries with high rates of AMR and antibiotic consumption can carry AMR to host countries. There may also be differences in prescription and consumption rates among migrants in host countries influenced by differences in expectations among patients and providers or presentation of symptoms. However, evidence suggests that migrants, especially forced migrants, could be at higher risk of acquiring and transmitting AMR during their trajectory, or in host countries due to underlying social factors like overcrowding at refugee camps or facilities, disrupted access to healthcare, and poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene. There is limited understanding regarding migrants’ living conditions and the wider factors contributing to their risk of infectious diseases, antimicrobial consumption, and resistance development. The aim of this study was to explore migrants’ transit experiences, living conditions, and antibiotic use in the UK.
Conclusion
The findings indicate that migrants can come across inequalities either during their trajectories or in the UK which influence their health and perceived need to bring back, store and use antibiotics without prescription. The findings urge the need to design culturally acceptable interventions to tackle the wider contextual challenges faced by migrants based on their needs, like appropriate water resources, adequate cleaning and interpretation services.
You can download their abstract here.
Contrasting mental health conceptualisations and help-seeking behaviours amongst Eritrean women in the UK
Author: Brittney Mengistu
Background
Formal mental healthcare use for refugee communities has consistently been reported as underutilised, where help-seeking behaviours are traditionally quantified, and informal or cultural modes of therapeutic care are overlooked. This research sought to understand the narratives of care underutilisation by examining mental health conceptualisations and help-seeking behaviours amongst Eritrean women in the UK.
Conclusion
The hesitation in verbalising distress stemmed from cultural conceptualisations of mental health, stigma and lack of confidentiality and translated to low formal mental healthcare utilisation amongst Eritrean women. Addressing the gaps in formal mental health service use should entail practitioners and researchers becoming familiar with transnational diasporic dynamics, cultural conceptualisations and practices, and aetiologies of mental wellbeing.
You can download their abstract here.
A prospective observational cohort study on the Nutritional Status and Quality of Life of children living in camp Mavrovouni
Author: Hanaa Benjeddi
Background
Never before has it been so relevant to understand how we can support the health of refugee children.
The number of people that have been forced to flee their homes has reached unprecedented levels, estimated at around 80 million of which forty percent are under the age of 18 years. Of these, thousands of children arrive yearly in refugee camps in countries bordering the Mediterranean sea following traumatic life events in their country of origin. These children often stay in the camps for years, living under sub-optimal and sometimes poor conditions.
The health status (physical and psychological) of children when arriving in refugee camps is often not recorded, neither is there a good insight into the impact of camp-life on their physical and psychological health. This is of critical importance, since it is known that the effect of health threats in childhood like chronic malnutrition, psychological trauma and poor living conditions may be carried on into adulthood and may have a lasting impact on their quality of life and work productivity.
A better insight into the size, diversity and risk factors of health-problems in these children is urgently needed. The aim of our project is to investigate the health status of children when arriving at Camp Mavrovouni on Lesbos and the effect of living in the camp on their physical and psychological health. The research program will consists of two longitudinal studies: the first study will be the anthropometrical study in which indices (weight, height and MUAC) will be collected at t=0, t=3 mo and t=6 mo. The second study will measure Quality of Life by using validated tailormade PROMIS questionnaires that are collected at t=0 and t=6 mo.
Conclusion
Our systematic review shows that stunting is prevalent among children living in refugee camps in and around Europe. Our propective longitudinal observational study will give more insight into children’s nutritional status and means of improving this.
You can download their abstract here.
Associations of psychosocial stress with Type-2 diabetes prevalence and control in multi-ethnic populations in the Netherlands: The HELIUS study
Author: Daniela Del Carlo Goncalves
Background
We assessed associations of different forms of psychosocial stress with type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence and control among six ethnic groups (Dutch, South Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, Ghanaians, Turkish, and Moroccans) in the Netherlands.
Conclusion
Our study findings suggest ethnic variations in the association between psychosocial stress and T2D prevalence and glycaemic control. Interventions and policies to reduce psychosocial could help to reduce T2D prevalence and increase glycaemic control among ethnic minority populations.
You can download their abstract here.
Venezuelan Migrant Refugee Women's Access to Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Services in Peru: A Qualitative Interview Study
Author: Rosmarry Marquez-Lameda
Background
As of 2022, more than 6 million Venezuelans have left the country. Peru hosts over 1 million Venezuelans, who are considered the largest group of immigrants in the country. Access and utilization of sexual and reproductive health care services (SRHS), particularly modern forms of contraception, is concernedly low among Venezuelan migrant and refugee women residing in Peru. To this date, research examining how this migrant group access these services is limited.
Conclusion
During a peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, maternal health and family planning services were severely limited. Conclusions: Venezuelan migrant and refugee women do not have their SRH needs met. Issues of mistrust in the medical system, healthcare access disinformation and xenophobia should be addressed as we aim to guarantee this population’s right to receive healthcare services that are adequate and humane.
You can download their abstract here.
Perinatal health and care outcomes in asylum migrants compared to the Dutch population: a national registry-based study.
Author: Julia Tankink
Background
With the global refugee population at an all-time high, an increasing number of women experience pregnancy and childbirth in the process of aftermath of forced displacement. In comparison to host-country populations, forced migrants may receive suboptimal care and face higher rates of adverse perinatal and maternal outcomes. In the Netherlands, a recent study found a seven times higher rate of perinatal mortality among asylum seekers compared to Dutch women in a regional hospital (Verschuuren et al., 2021). Still, the lack of data on migration status in clinical registration complicates large-scale evaluations of perinatal health and care outcomes in forced migrants. To respond to the need of such evaluations, we performed a linkage of two national registry databases and identified all births to mothers who recently applied for asylum in the Netherlands. We compared these to births in the Dutch population between 2014 and 2019. Results of this study will serve to expand the evidence and understanding of migration-related perinatal health inequities in the Dutch context, guide forthcoming research, and set priorities in policy and care interventions.
Conclusion
To our knowledge, this study was the first to link national registry data in order to compare birth records of asylum migrants to the Dutch population. This comparison showed a higher incidence of several adverse perinatal health and care outcomes among the study population of migrants with a pending or recently granted asylum status. The prevalence of perinatal mortality, post-term birth, low APGAR scores and SGA infants as well as most suboptimal care outcomes was still higher when comparing asylum migrants to resident migrants with a longer average length of residence in the Netherlands. These results suggest that asylum migrants may face specific perinatal health risks. Future research should consider factors such as migration history, legal status and policy effects in relation to outcomes. Given the scarcity of data from clinical registration in the Netherlands, this study proved an important step to further disentangle and mitigate disparities between host-country and forcibly displaced populations.
You can download their abstract here.