Post-Migration Stressors and Mental and Physical Health among Refugees and Migrants in Need of Protection: A Mixed-Methods Analysis with Weekly Panel Data

Matthew Blanton

doi:10.1177/21568693251345117

journal article Open Access Jun 24, 2025

Post-Migration Stressors and Mental and Physical Health among Refugees and Migrants in Need of Protection: A Mixed-Methods Analysis with Weekly Panel Data

Matthew Blanton

Society and Mental Health · SAGE Publications

View at Publisher Save 10.1177/21568693251345117

Abstract

Refugees and migrants in need of protection (MNP) experience high levels of psychological distress and somatic symptoms—physical symptoms linked to stress. While a large body of literature explores the relationship between pre-migration trauma and health, less is known about the role of post-migration stressors. Drawing on a novel 13-week intensive panel survey (N=247 individuals; 3,093 observations) and in-depth interviews (N=65) with MNP in Costa Rica, I examine the relationship among stressors, psychological distress, and physical symptoms in the receiving context. Quantitative analysis highlights that post-migration stressors, including economic precarity and discrimination, are strongly associated with heightened psychological distress, which in turn increases the likelihood of somatic symptoms. Interview data corroborate these results and further uncover how MNP perceive and articulate the process of somatization. This study advances understanding of the dynamic pathways linking stressors, psychological distress, and physical health, offering both theoretical insights and practical recommendations for service providers and policymakers.

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Details

Published: Jun 24, 2025
License: View

Authors

M

Matthew Blanton

The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA

Funding

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Award: K01HD099313

Cite This Article

Matthew Blanton (2025). Post-Migration Stressors and Mental and Physical Health among Refugees and Migrants in Need of Protection: A Mixed-Methods Analysis with Weekly Panel Data. Society and Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1177/21568693251345117

Post-Migration Stressors and Mental and Physical Health among Refugees and Migrants in Need of Protection: A Mixed-Methods Analysis with Weekly Panel Data

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