The mental health of first- and second-generation migrant vs. native healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: The VOICE survey of 7,187 employees in the German healthcare sector

Herold R, Morawa E, Schug C, Geiser F, Beschoner P, Jerg-Bretzke L, Albus C, Weidner K, Hiebel N, Borho A, Erim Y (2024)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2024

Journal

DOI: 10.1177/13634615241253153

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the challenging working conditions of healthcare workers (HCWs) in many regions. A considerable proportion of HCWs in Germany are migrants facing additional migration-related stressors. The aim of this cross-sectional web-based survey was to examine depressive and generalized anxiety symptoms among migrant and native HCWs in Germany during the pandemic. We compared 780 migrant (first- and second-generation) HCWs from different backgrounds with 6,407 native HCWs. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine associations between occupational and COVID-19 related variables, controlling for sociodemographics. Migrant HCWs from low-/middle-income countries more frequently had clinically relevant depressive symptoms (PHQ-2 ≥ 3) than did those from high-income countries (29.9% vs. 16.7%, p =.002, ϕ =.156) (all other ϕs/Cramer's Vs ≤.036). There were no clinically relevant differences in anxiety levels (GAD-2 ≥ 3) between native vs. migrant HCWs, native vs. the individual migrant HCW groups, or between the sexes (all ϕs/Cramer's Vs ≤.036). After controlling for key sociodemographic characteristics, native HCWs did not differ from the individual migrant HCW groups on depression and anxiety severity (depression: all βs ≤ |.030|, anxiety: all βs ≤ |.014|). A high percentage of HCWs reported distress, with migrants from low-/middle-income countries reporting highest burden. The results indicate the need to establish prevention programmes for HCWs, with special consideration to vulnerable populations including certain migrant groups.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Ulm Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Bonn Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Köln Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Herold, R., Morawa, E., Schug, C., Geiser, F., Beschoner, P., Jerg-Bretzke, L.,... Erim, Y. (2024). The mental health of first- and second-generation migrant vs. native healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: The VOICE survey of 7,187 employees in the German healthcare sector. Transcultural Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634615241253153

MLA:

Herold, Regina, et al. "The mental health of first- and second-generation migrant vs. native healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: The VOICE survey of 7,187 employees in the German healthcare sector." Transcultural Psychiatry (2024).

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