Abstract
Background
Malaysia is the second-most popular destination for regular and irregular migrant workers from Myanmar. They contribute to the economic prosperity of both the host and home countries; yet, their social determinants of health and physical well-being, particularly among irregular migrants remain neglected and unexplored. This study looked at how Myanmar irregular migrant workers' daily challenges, workplace exploitation and conditions, and coping strategies related to the social determinants of their health and well-being.
Methods
Two interview techniques were used in this study: semi-structured interviews with nine participants (n = 9), and three Focus Group Discussions with sixteen participants (n = 16). Participants were recruited through referrals from NGOs and snowball sampling due to the nature of the hidden population.
Results
The findings revealed that a variety of factors are affecting participants' health and well-being. Among the most pressing issues is their irregular immigrant status, which exposes them to various forms of exploitation and prevents them from accessing services. They suffer from depression, overthinking, worries about their families, and insomnia as a result of such conditions. Some relied on religious devotion (prayer), ignoring their sadness and dedication to support their families, while others relied on cohabitation or drinking alcohol, damaging their physical and mental health.
Conclusions
The findings suggest that Myanmar and Malaysian governments should collaborate to regularize existing irregular migrants in Malaysia and establish zero or low-cost recruitment policies to eliminate irregular migration for prospective workers since their labour contributions play a significant role in both countries' economies.
Malaysia is the second-most popular destination for regular and irregular migrant workers from Myanmar. They contribute to the economic prosperity of both the host and home countries; yet, their social determinants of health and physical well-being, particularly among irregular migrants remain neglected and unexplored. This study looked at how Myanmar irregular migrant workers' daily challenges, workplace exploitation and conditions, and coping strategies related to the social determinants of their health and well-being.
Methods
Two interview techniques were used in this study: semi-structured interviews with nine participants (n = 9), and three Focus Group Discussions with sixteen participants (n = 16). Participants were recruited through referrals from NGOs and snowball sampling due to the nature of the hidden population.
Results
The findings revealed that a variety of factors are affecting participants' health and well-being. Among the most pressing issues is their irregular immigrant status, which exposes them to various forms of exploitation and prevents them from accessing services. They suffer from depression, overthinking, worries about their families, and insomnia as a result of such conditions. Some relied on religious devotion (prayer), ignoring their sadness and dedication to support their families, while others relied on cohabitation or drinking alcohol, damaging their physical and mental health.
Conclusions
The findings suggest that Myanmar and Malaysian governments should collaborate to regularize existing irregular migrants in Malaysia and establish zero or low-cost recruitment policies to eliminate irregular migration for prospective workers since their labour contributions play a significant role in both countries' economies.
| Original language | English |
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| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Submitted - 4 Oct 2022 |
