Abstract
Public health research specifically into migrant populations is crucial due to their unique profile of strengths and health risks. This unique profile stems not only from individual characteristics but also from the ways different systems from employment, legal rights and health care, present to migrants. In an environment where migration is highly politicized, researchers are called upon to pay particular attention to ensure that their methods are inclusive of migrant populations and be conscious of the potential impacts of their work. In this round table discussion, we will illuminate the unique context that researchers find themselves in when tackling questions around migration, moving from a high-level policy analysis to on-the-ground perspective while including population and health system viewpoints. The roundtable will open with a brief round of introductory presentations. Dilhan Jayathilake will present a concept analysis of European policy, migrant health frameworks and published literature on the structural determinants on migrant mental health. He will showcase some blind spots at the policy-level, which mainly focuses on health care access at the expense of a more holistic view of migrant mental health. At the population research level, we will hear from a from Viktoriia Yasenok who conducted a multi-arm cohort study that assessed the prevalence of common mental health disorders in Ukraine, Switzerland and Ukrainian refugees in Switzerland. She will provide insight into the differences researchers encounter when working across populations, systems and contexts. At a health system level, Jayati Das-Munshi will describe a novel application of Natural Language Processing methods capturing forced migratory status based on large-scale data (large volume clinical free text entries in medical records of a mental health service provider). There will be an in-depth discussion the ethical considerations and potential ramifications of research and the responsibility of researchers in the health system context, when working with vulnerable and marginalised populations. Finally arriving at the individual level, Ana Gama will present findings from a qualitative study exploring refugee caregivers’ perspectives on their children’s health needs and access to healthcare in Portugal. This talk will highlight how context‑sensitive methodological choices are essential to elicit lived experiences and how these insights can inform more culturally responsive and equitable health systems. In summary this round table discussion will illuminate the opportunities, challenges and responsibilities of researchers in migrant mental health from policy to methodology to practice. This panel is uniquely positioned to connect the dots between upstream policy decisions and downstream mental health impacts, leading to an insightful debate and a more integrated understanding of this complex yet pressing topic.
Key messages
• Advancing migrant mental health requires a holistic understanding of policy, population health, health systems and their combined impact.
• Inclusive, context-sensitive and adaptive research methods are essential to capture migrant experiences and inform equitable mental health policies and care.