Description
Introduction - Objectives: Disasters cause unequal impacts on the population. Migrants and women were at increased risk of adverse consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Migrants were more likely to receive late diagnoses and be hospitalized, and were often neglected by vaccination campaigns. Women experienced worse socioeconomic impact, faced access constraints to sexual and reproductive care, and were disproportionately affected by gender-based violence (GBV). Because of the intersection of these two vulnerability factors, migrant women (MW) were supposedly more vulnerable compared to migrant men (MM) and non-migrant women (N-MW). The project “Being a migrant woman during disasters: A mixed-method study exploring multidimensional inequalities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Italy” aims to explore the multidimensional inequalities experienced by MW in Milan, with regard to access to healthcare and socio-sanitary need. By presenting the preliminary results of the qualitative phase of this project, we expect to showcase professionals’ perspectives on the reasons leading to unequal impacts of the pandemic on MW.
Methodology: We performed an in-depth retrospective qualitative study with purposively sampled key informants who directly or indirectly served MW during the pandemic. The semi-structured interview guide was divided in four sections: presentation of the interviewees and their organization; impact of the pandemic on professionals and on their organization, adaptation mechanism implemented and lessons learnt; impact of the pandemic on MW; recommendations to strengthen MW’s disaster preparedness.
Results and discussion: To this day, twenty-seven key informants have been interviewed including healthcare professionals, cultural mediators, psychologists, project coordinators, and social workers of hospitals and third sector associations. Overall, MW were more disadvantaged compared to MM or to N-MW during the pandemic. Firstly, the restrictions imposed by the pandemic were especially harsh on MW who typically have informal and gendered jobs (e.g., caregivers, cleaners). Secondly, GBV, including economic violence, seemingly increased during the pandemic, further isolating MW and compromising their access to anti-violence centers. Third, the pandemic appears to have affected MW regardless of their geographical origin, their length of stay in the host country, and legal status. Finally, the pandemic exacerbated the disproportionate gendered division of housework and childcare at home, increasing even more the household burden of MW, at times hindering access to care.
This study contributes to the advancement of research focusing on the impact of disasters on MW adopting an intersectional lens. Notably, the participation of third sector organizations in our study allows us to better align research efforts with local needs and to communicate research findings to policy-makers.
Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have added extra burdens to MW compared to N-MW and MM. Results will allow local policymakers and health providers to anticipate MW’s healthcare needs, both in normal times and during disasters as well as to strengthen health equity for MW, thus contributing to achieving universal health coverage.
Acknowledgments: This project is supported by Fondazione Cariplo (ref. 2022-1447) and is being conducted in the framework of the International PhD in Global Health, Humanitarian Aid, and Disaster Medicine organized by Università del Piemonte Orientale.
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