Impact of perceived discrimination and coping strategies on well-being and mental health in newly-arrived migrants in Spain.

OBJECTIVES: To explore how perceived discrimination impacts the emotional well-being and mental health of newly-arrived migrants in Spain; and to identify the coping strategies and behavioral changes used to deal with perceived discrimination. DESIGN: 102 individual audio-recorded in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed through content analysis. RESULTS: Negative emotions related to perceived discrimination included disgust, sadness, fear, loneliness, humiliation, sense of injustice, rage, feeling undervalued or vulnerable, and mixed emotions. Change in behaviors due to perceived discrimination comprised westernization or cultural assimilation, creating a good image, avoiding going out or leaving alone, hypervigilance, stop participating in politics, self-sufficiency, a positive adaptation, and paradoxically, becoming an oppressor. The identified coping strategies to deal with perceived discrimination were ignoring or not responding, isolation, self-medication, engagement in intellectual activities, leisure and sport, talking or insulting the oppressor, denouncement, physical fight or revenge, seeking comfort, increasing solidarity with others, crying, or using humor. Discrimination-related stress and related mental health problems were conveyed, as challenges related to substance abuse and addictive behaviors, mood, and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Findings establish initial evidence of the great impact of perceived discrimination on the health, emotional well-being, and behavior of newly-arrived migrants in Spain, alerting to the need for targeted policies and services to address the effects of discrimination in this population. Further research is needed to explore more closely the causes and effects of perceived discrimination on mental health, to develop more targeted and effective interventions.

Factors Associated with Depression and Anxiety Symptoms among Migrant Population in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Migrants are likely to experience mental health conditions, being one of the most vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aims to: (1) estimate the prevalence of depressive and anxious symptoms and (2) examine the impact of risk and protective factors on this symptomatology. A sample of 129 migrants living in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic completed an anonymous online survey, including information on sociodemographic and individual characteristics, migration, basic needs, social environment and perceived health domains. Multiple Poisson regression models analysed the effects of risk and protective factors on depression and anxiety symptoms. The prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms was 22.3% and 21.4%, respectively. Risk factors such as living in a rented house and previous mental health conditions were associated with higher depression symptoms, whereas unemployment was related to anxiety symptoms. Conversely, older age, better self-esteem, and higher levels of social support were associated with fewer depression symptoms. Older age and better quality of life were related to fewer anxiety symptoms. These findings addressing risk and protective factors (e.g., social support, self-esteem) help to design culturally effective programs, particularly in migrants with pre-existing mental health conditions, adjusting the organisation of mental healthcare services in difficult times in Spain.

Types of Racism and Twitter Users' Responses Amid the COVID-19 Outbreak: Content Analysis.

BACKGROUND: When the first COVID-19 cases were noticed in China, many racist comments against Chinese individuals spread. As there is a huge need to better comprehend why all of these targeted comments and opinions developed specifically at the start of the outbreak, we sought to carefully examine racism and advocacy efforts on Twitter in the first quarter of 2020 (January 15 to March 3, 2020). OBJECTIVE: The first research question aimed to understand the main type of racism displayed on Twitter during the first quarter of 2020. The second research question focused on evaluating Twitter users' positive and negative responses regarding racism toward Chinese individuals. METHODS: Content analysis of tweets was utilized to address the two research questions. Using the NCapture browser link and NVivo software, tweets in English and Spanish were pulled from the Twitter data stream from January 15 to March 3, 2020. A total of 19,150 tweets were captured using the advanced Twitter search engine with the keywords and hashtags #nosoyunvirus, #imNotAVirus, #ChineseDon'tComeToJapan, #racism, "No soy un virus," and "Racismo Coronavirus." After cleaning the data, a total of 402 tweets were codified and analyzed. RESULTS: The data confirmed clear sentiments of racism against Chinese individuals during the first quarter of 2020. The tweets displayed individual, cultural, and institutional racism. Individual racism was the most commonly reported form of racism, specifically displaying physical and verbal aggression. As a form of resistance, Twitter users created spaces for advocacy and activism. The hashtag "I am not a virus" helped to break stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination on Twitter. CONCLUSIONS: Advocacy efforts were enormous both inside and outside the Chinese community; an allyship sentiment was fostered by some white users, and an identification with the oppression experienced by the Chinese population was expressed in the Black and Muslim worldwide communities. Activism through social media manifested through art, food sharing, and community support.