Access to Healthcare in Thailand During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Interview Study of Migrants From Myanmar.
Sarah H Oung, Boram Kim, David Tanoko and 11 others
PMID 42184329WHAT IT FOUND
Migrants from Myanmar described avoiding formal healthcare despite severe stress, relying on self, Buddhist practice, and herbal remedies; language barriers and cost made care hard to reach.
Key findings
01Two participants used a free local healthcare facility, 24 were uninsured, and 20 could not pay for healthcare.
02All participants reported stress from fleeing Myanmar and being separated from family, and one described anxiety and depression.
03Twenty-nine of 32 participants identified as Buddhist, and participants described prayer, meditation, and self-reliance rather than professional help.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study included only 32 migrants from one border town, Mae Sot, so experiences may differ in other areas or among other Myanmar migrants. Twelve participants were schoolteachers, who may have more education and resources than factory workers, construction workers, or farmers. Six participants had HIV, so their care needs and stigma may not represent healthier migrants. The study describes experiences and barriers; it does not test whether any approach improves health outcomes. Suicidality was not screened, although participants reported stress, family separation, and language barriers.
Declared interests
Funding came from a UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute and School of Nursing intramural fund, NIH Fogarty International Center awards, an NIH National Institute of Mental Health award, and the Taiwan National Science and Technology Council. The authors declared no conflicts of interest and nothing to report.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that migrants do not need mental health care because they did not seek formal help; all reported stress from fleeing Myanmar and family separation, and many faced cost, travel, and language barriers.