Search Results (2,421)

Despite the growing number of older adults engaging in voluntary migration, there is a lack of knowledge about their psychological well-being in cross-cultural contexts. This cross-sectional study investigated factors associated with psychological well-being among older Chinese migrants residing in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Between December 2024 and February 2025, 204 Chinese migrants aged 60 and above who had resided in Chiang Mai for at least six months participated in a survey in Chinese. The survey measured sociodemographic and psychosocial factors including perceived health, income, marital status, number of co-residing family members, social support, acculturative stress, sense of mastery, and loneliness. Multiple regression analysis showed that gender (female) (p = 0.006), better perceived health status (p = 0.021), higher income (p = 0.007), more co-residing family members (p = 0.037), a greater sense of mastery (p = 0.009), and lower levels of loneliness (p < 0.001) were each independently associated with better psychological well-being. In contrast, neither general family support nor acculturative stress was a statistically significant predictor. These findings highlight the significant roles of financial security, family co-residence, personal empowerment, and social connectedness in shaping overall well-being. Strategies to improve psychological well-being in this population should focus on strengthening emotional connectedness, supporting the development of meaningful family and social relationships, and supporting economic stability. Full article

Nature-based interventions are increasingly used to support human wellbeing, and more recently to integrate migrants into host countries. In this research, we focused on a nature-based vocational training programme led by a partnership of three Swedish public organisations. In the programme, long-term unemployed Swedes worked with migrants in various nature conservation and nature management tasks as part of an employment programme. We undertook interviews with nineteen participants and carried out observations ‘in situ’ to explore the impact of the programme on participants’ wellbeing. Using the ‘five ways to wellbeing’ as a conceptual framework, we found that the programme connected participants to nature, helped them take notice of the forests and nature they worked in, and connected participants across cultures. The participants learned new conservation skills and migrants had a chance to improve their Swedish language skills. The activities within the programme were physical and the majority found this was important for their overall wellbeing. Migrants were younger and keener to learn new employable skills than Swedes who were closer to pension age. The groups were more similar when it came to identifying the impact of the programme on their wellbeing. Nature-based vocational training programmes not only allow participants to gain skills for employment but can have a significant impact on wellbeing. Full article

Teachers can be transgressive agents to foster the inclusion of the growing migrant population in European schools. However, they are often faced by many challenges working with the ethnic/religious diversity in their classrooms. Moreover, they sometimes adopt stigmatised views about minoritised students that affect their attitudes and discourses towards them. Muslim migrant students tend to endure discrimination and essentialist discourses in their educational experiences. Thus, this study aims to analyse teachers’ discourses and attitudes towards Moroccan Muslim migrant students in their formal education, from the perspective of their mothers. A critical qualitative study with a mixed thematic content analysis was carried out. In-depth interviews with a total of nine Moroccan mothers were conducted. There are still cases in which teachers’ discourse and attitudes can marginalise Moroccan Muslim migrant students. This can be explained by the lack of teacher training. Teachers sometimes struggle to tackle discrimination, which is eased by well-established action plans. There is a need for contextualised and specific training for teachers. Furthermore, policies, schools and the community should support and involve teachers in the development of more inclusive practices that are aware of systemic inequality and privilege. Full article

The disappearance of foreign minors in Italy is a long-standing and critically underexamined social phenomenon. Despite alarming figures, public and institutional attention remains episodic and media-driven, often limited to high-profile or criminal cases. This study offers a socio-forensic analysis of official data from 2014 to 2023, revealing significant inconsistencies in how these cases are reported, categorized, and followed up by Italian institutions. It highlights how unaccompanied and migrant minors are especially vulnerable within a fragmented and reactive system that lacks transparency and effective preventive measures. Rather than presenting new empirical data, the article reinterprets existing sources to expose systemic gaps, drawing comparisons with the more structured approaches adopted in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Spain. These international examples show how multilingual communication, early warning systems (e.g., AMBER Alert), and public geolocation tools can offer timely, coordinated responses to disappearances—tools that remain largely absent or underused in Italy. The article further argues for the integration of forensic geospatial methods, such as locus operandi analysis, remote sensing, and forensic geoarchaeology, not as experimental techniques, but as practical tools that could strengthen Italy’s institutional capacity to respond. Ultimately, this study seeks to elevate the discussion surrounding missing foreign minors from a marginal social concern to a matter of forensic and public interest, and to encourage interdisciplinary reflection on how such disappearances are framed—and too often dismissed—within the national landscape. Full article

Objectives: Migrants are at greater risk of psychiatric hospitalization. This study aims to improve care for migrants hospitalized in psychiatric wards in Morocco by studying comprehensive clinical and epidemiological characteristics, focusing on potential risk factors to guide mental health intervention efforts. Methods: The present retrospective multicenter study retrieved sociodemographic, clinical data, and patient records of migrants admitted to a large Moroccan psychiatric hospital in the Rabat region between 2013 and 2023 in order to delineate characteristics and risk factors for psychiatric hospitalizations. Descriptive and univariable analyses were conducted using chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and Mann–Whitney tests, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed by Jamovi 2.3.28.0 software to predict rehospitalization. Results: A total of 102 patient files were analyzed. Of these, 72.5% were single men, 27.5% had mental health problems prior to migration, 23.5% had attempted suicide, and 88.2% had negative insight. Some 94.86% were hospitalized against their will, 73.5% were diagnosed with psychosis, and only 2 were diagnosed with a stress-related disorder. Some 34.3% were hospitalized. Factors significantly associated with hospitalized were divorced family status, presence of psychotic pathology, and number of family members between five and nine with OR = 5.28, CI [1.04–26.68], p = 0.044; OR = 5.95, CI [2.02–17.44], p = 0.001; and OR = 6.02, CI [1.71–21.11], p = 0.005, respectively. Shorter length of stay in Morocco, unemployment, asylum seekers, and use of restraints were more frequent in hospitalized patients. Conclusions: Identifying at-risk migrants and setting up culturally appropriate, trauma-informed services can reduce the number of hospital admissions and boost the training and awareness of healthcare professionals in this area. Full article

This study examines the impact of personal remittances on housing prices in European Union (EU) countries, while also accounting for a broader set of macroeconomic, demographic, and structural variables. Using annual data for 27 EU countries from 2007 to 2022, we employ a comprehensive panel econometric approach, including cross-sectional dependence tests, second-generation unit root tests, pooled mean group–autoregressive distributed lag (PMG-ARDL) estimation, and panel causality tests, to capture both short- and long-term dynamics. Our findings confirm that remittances significantly and positively influence long-term housing price levels, underscoring their relevance as a demand-side driver. Other key variables such as net migration, GDP, travel credit to GDP, economic freedom, and real effective exchange rates also contribute to housing price movements, while supply-side indicators, including production in construction and building permits, exert moderating effects. Moreover, real interest rates are shown to have a significant long-term negative effect on property prices. The analysis reveals key causal links from remittances, FDI, and net migration to housing prices, highlighting their structural and predictive roles. Bidirectional causality between economic freedom, housing output, and prices indicates reinforcing feedback effects. These findings position remittances as both a development tool and a key indicator of real estate dynamics. The study highlights complex interactions between international financial flows, demographic pressures, and domestic economic conditions and the need for policymakers to consider remittances and migrant investments in real estate strategies. These findings offer important implications for policymakers seeking to balance housing affordability, investment, and economic resilience in the EU context and key insights into the complexity of economic factors and real estate prices. Importantly, the analysis identifies several causal relationships, notably from remittances, FDI, and net migration toward housing prices, underscoring their predictive and structural importance. Bidirectional causality between economic freedom and house prices, as well as between housing output and pricing, reflects feedback mechanisms that further reinforce market dynamics. These results position remittances not only as a developmental instrument but also as a key signal for real estate market performance in recipient economies. Full article

Unemployment and weak economic productivity are significant global issues, particularly in West Africa. Recently, through diverse mechanisms, remittances and foreign direct investment (FDI) have been sources of foreign capital flow that have positively influenced many less developed economies, including ECOWAS (ECOWAS stands for Economic Community of West African States). Nevertheless, these financial flows have exhibited significant inconsistencies, primarily resulting from economic downturns in migrants’ destination countries, with remarkable implications for beneficiary economies. This study, therefore, examines the effect of remittances and FDI on employment in ECOWAS. Specifically, the study assesses the effects of the inflow of remittances and FDI on employment using panel dynamic ordinary least squares (PDOLS) and also investigates the shock effects of remittances and FDI by employing Panel Vector Error Correction (PVECM), which involves variance decomposition. The results show that foreign direct investment (FDI) positively and significantly affects employment. Other variables that show a significant relationship with employment are wage rate, education expenditure, and interest rate. The variance decomposition result revealed that external shocks on remittances and FDI have short- and long-term effects on employment. The above findings imply that foreign direct investment has a far-reaching positive impact on the economy-wide management of the West African sub-region and thus calls for relevant policy options. Full article

This article aims to analyze the role of migration in the process of the third demographic transition (TDT) in the context of key mediating determinants, such as migrants’ religiosity and economic conditions in the countries of origin and settlement. TDT refers to population changes resulting from migration as a demographic compensatory mechanism in countries with a low total fertility rate (TFR). The study is based on a network analysis of keywords in the scientific literature using the Scopus database and VOSviewer. The results point to three main research approaches to TDT—investigating quantitative population changes, the sociodemographic consequences of migration, and its effect on urbanization—and to the fact that economic and axionormative determinants are under-researched. This article contributes to TDT theory, pointing to the need for that theory to include cultural, economic, and axiological factors as key determinants influencing the permanence of TDT. Full article

By 2050, it is estimated that approximately 200 million people will be displaced due to the impacts of climate change. Vulnerability to climate change is shaped not only by environmental factors but fundamentally by systemic power relations and structural conditions present at both the places of origin and destination. In Latin America, climate-displaced persons predominantly settle in marginalised neighbourhoods, where widely accepted informality facilitates their rapid arrival but obstructs genuine progress and full integration as urban citizens. This paper critically examines the prevailing myths that justify the persistence of informality, revealing the socioeconomic challenges faced by climate migrants in the region. These four dominant myths are (1) Latin America’s inherently low productivity levels; (2) concessions by the ruling class enabling excluded groups to merely survive; (3) the perceived privilege of marginalised neighbourhoods to generate income outside formal legal frameworks, which supports their social capital; and (4) the limited benefits associated with formalisation. Debunking these myths is essential for developing effective public policies aimed at reducing informality and promoting inclusive urban integration, ultimately benefiting both climate migrants and host communities. Full article

Background/Objectives: Agricultural workers in Spain with a migratory background face challenging working and living conditions that significantly affect their health. This study aimed to explore how professionals in healthcare, social services, civil society organisations, and labour institutions perceive that the working conditions affect the physical health of this population. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted through 92 semi-structured interviews with professionals from six provinces in Spain. Data were analysed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. Rigour was ensured through triangulation, independent coding, and interdisciplinary consensus. Results: Two overarching themes were identified: (1) the health consequences of workplace demands and environmental hazards, and (2) navigating health services such as sick leave and disability permits. These findings highlight how the impact of precarious working conditions and limited access to healthcare affect the physical health of migrant agricultural workers. Conclusions: The professionals interviewed described and relate precarious working conditions with adverse health outcomes among migrant agricultural workers. Their insights reveal the need for systemic reforms to enforce labour rights, ensure access to health services, and address the structural factors that contribute to exclusion and vulnerability. Full article

Background: The 2022 conflict in Ukraine triggered mass migration, leading to a significant influx of Ukrainian refugee children into Poland. This situation raises concerns about hepatitis B virus immunity, as Ukraine’s hepatitis B vaccination coverage has been inconsistent compared to Poland’s high vaccination rates. Objective: To evaluate hepatitis B immunity and infection prevalence among Ukrainian refugee children residing in Southern Poland and to assess implications for vaccination strategies in the host country. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 1322 Ukrainian refugee children (0–18 years) presenting to a pediatric infectious diseases department in Southern Poland between February 2022 and March 2024. Data on vaccination history, demographic characteristics, and selected laboratory parameters, including hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-HBs antibody levels, were collected. Protective immunity was defined as anti-HBs antibody levels ≥10 IU/L. Results: Among the participants (mean age 9.9 years; 50.2% female), 83.2% were reported as vaccinated according to national immunization programs, but only 64.9% demonstrated protective anti-HBs antibody levels. Protective antibody prevalence declined significantly with age, with less than half of adolescents aged 15–18 years showing immunity. Five children (0.4%) were diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, four of whom were unvaccinated. Conclusions: This study identifies a significant gap in hepatitis B immunity among Ukrainian adolescent refugees residing in Southern Poland, with less than half possessing protective anti-HBs antibody levels. This immunity gap and the high risk of sexual transmission of the hepatitis B virus in adolescents highlight the urgent need for comprehensive surveillance, screening, and catch-up vaccination programs. Full article

Background/Objectives: Global warming and rising CO₂ concentrations pose significant challenges to plant systems. Amid these pressures, this study contributes to understanding how tropical species respond by simultaneously evaluating reproductive and genetic traits. It specifically investigates the effects of maternal exposure to warming and elevated CO₂ on progeny physiology, genetic diversity, and population structure in Stylosanthes capitata, a resilient forage legume native to Brazil. Methods: Maternal plants were cultivated under controlled treatments, including ambient conditions (control), elevated CO₂ at 600 ppm (eCO₂), elevated temperature at +2 °C (eTE), and their combined exposure (eTEeCO₂), within a Trop-T-FACE field facility (Temperature Free-Air Controlled Enhancement and Free-Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment). Seed traits (seeds per inflorescence, hundred-seed mass, abortion, non-viable seeds, coat color, germination at 32, 40, 71 weeks) and abnormal seedling rates were quantified. Genetic diversity metrics included the average (A) and effective (Ae) number of alleles, observed (Ho) and expected (He) heterozygosity, and inbreeding coefficient (Fis). Population structure was assessed using Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA), Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA), number of migrants per generation (Nm), and genetic differentiation index (Fst). Two- and three-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to evaluate factor effects. Results: Compared to control conditions, warming increased seeds per inflorescence (+46%), reduced abortion (−42.9%), non-viable seeds (−57%), and altered coat color. The germination speed index (GSI +23.5%) and germination rate (Gr +11%) improved with warming; combined treatments decreased germination time (GT −9.6%). Storage preserved germination traits, with warming enhancing performance over time and reducing abnormal seedlings (−54.5%). Conversely, elevated CO₂ shortened GSI in late stages, impairing germination efficiency. Warming reduced Ae (−35%), He (−20%), and raised Fis (maternal 0.50, progeny 0.58), consistent with the species’ mixed mating system; A and Ho were unaffected. Allele frequency shifts suggested selective pressure under eTE. Warming induced slight structure in PCoA, and AMOVA detected 1% (maternal) and 9% (progeny) variation. Fst = 0.06 and Nm = 3.8 imply environmental influence without isolation. Conclusions: Warming significantly shapes seed quality, reproductive success, and genetic diversity in S. capitata. Improved reproduction and germination suggest adaptive advantages, but higher inbreeding and reduced diversity may constrain long-term resilience. The findings underscore the need for genetic monitoring and broader genetic bases in cultivars confronting environmental stressors. Full article

Since the 1980s, earlier European springs have led to the earlier arrival of migrant passerines. We predict that arrival is related to a suite of climate indices operating during the annual cycle (breeding, autumn migration, wintering, spring migration) in Europe and Africa over the year preceding arrival. The climate variables include the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Furthermore, because migrants arrive sequentially from different wintering areas across Africa, we predict that relationships with climate variables operating in different parts of Africa will change within the season. We tested this using daily ringing data at Bukowo, a spring stopover site on the Baltic coast. We calculated an Annual Anomaly (AA) of spring passage (26 March–15 May, 1982–2024) for four long-distance migrants (Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff). We decomposed the anomaly in two ways: into three independent main periods and nine overlapping periods. We used multiple regression to explore the relationships of the arrival of these species at Bukowo. We found sequential effects of climate indices. Bukowo is thus at a crossroads of populations arriving from different wintering regions. The drivers of phenological shifts in passage of wide-ranging species are related to climate indices encountered during breeding, wintering, and migration. Full article

Background: International migration is a growing global phenomenon involving diverse groups, such as labor migrants, international marriage migrants, refugees, and international students. International migrants face unique mental health challenges influenced by adversities such as social isolation and limited access to mental health services. This study employs bibliometric methods to systematically analyze the global body of literature on international migrants’ mental health. Methods: The literature on the mental health of international migrants published until October 2024 was searched using the Web of Science database. The search terms included (‘International migrants’ OR ‘migrant workers’ OR ‘international students’ OR ‘refugees’ OR ‘asylum seekers’ OR ‘smuggled migrants’) AND ‘mental health’. VOSviewer was used to conduct bibliometric analysis, focusing on co-authorship patterns, keyword co-occurrence, and citation networks. Results: Over the past four decades, research on the mental health of international migrants has grown substantially, with major migration destinations such as the United States, Europe, and Australia playing prominent roles in this field. ‘Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)’ was the most frequent keyword in publications, with strong links to ‘trauma’ and ‘depression’. In recent years, with the impact of global socioenvironmental changes and emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the research focus has gradually shifted towards social support, service accessibility, and cultural adaptation. Conclusions: International migration is a far-reaching global phenomenon, and addressing the mental health of migrant populations is essential for advancing public health, social cohesion, and sustainable development. This study provides the first bibliometric overview of research in this domain, mapping its thematic evolution and collaborative structure. The findings offer valuable insights into the field’s development and may support future interdisciplinary collaboration and the formulation of culturally informed, evidence-based approaches in migrant mental health. Full article

In the last two decades, the prevalence of South Asian migrant workers has significantly increased in the UAE’s construction sector, and they are under huge debt. Although researchers heavily stress the role of employers in migrant workers’ debt, the role of debt before departure has not been investigated. Thus, this study bridges this gap in the literature in the context of South Asian construction migrant workers. The objective of this study is to investigate how informal recruitment fees and debt arrangements contribute to bonded labor and dependency among migrant workers. A qualitative approach was used to conduct in-depth interviews with 30 South Asian migrants employed in the construction sector. This article highlights how pre-migration debt—which is often accrued through informal loans and exploitative recruitment fees—has been underexplored in migration studies. Drawing on interviews with 30 South Asian laborers, this study identifies five interconnected themes: pre-migration debt bondage, exploitative lending practices, lack of legal recourse, emotional manipulation, and a cycle of dependency. While UAE labor policies have improved, the real vulnerabilities lie in the informal recruitment systems and weak oversight in migrant workers’ countries of origin. Consequently, five themes were generated from the analysis: pre-migration debt bondage, exploitative lending practices, no legal recourse, emotional manipulation, and cycles of dependency. This study contributes to our existing knowledge by revealing the experiences of migrant construction workers from South Asia in the UAE. While the UAE has established one of the region’s most progressive legal frameworks to protect migrant workers and set clear labor standards, many exploitative practices occur outside its jurisdiction, particularly in the workers’ countries of origin. This study underscores that the root of the problem lies in weak enforcement and informal recruitment networks in sending countries, not in UAE policy itself. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated international action to ensure that migrant protection begins well before arrival. Full article