Abstract
Globalization and the movement of workers across borders in search of a better life or employment are presenting healthcare systems and researchers with problems of increasing complexity. This study focused on how migrant workers in Thailand from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic conceptualized their stress and stressing factors. Participant observation, in-depth interviews, and field notes were employed in the study, which analyzed data from seventy subjects through qualitative content analysis. The migrant workers in this sample perceived stress as a state of being unable to fulfill their preferences or expectations revolving around issues of: living with poverty, employment, loneliness, poor relationships, competition in the workplace combined with job uncertainty, and invisibility. To provide care for the minority migrant workers, nurses need to focus on identifying how these users perceive stress, and urgent action and further research are needed.
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The author would like to thank all the participants in the study and the Rockefeller Foundation for the financial support.
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Nilvarangkul, K., Rungreangkulkij, S. & Wongprom, J. Perception of Stress in Laotian Migrant Workers in Thailand. J Immigrant Minority Health 12, 678–682 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-009-9315-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-009-9315-y