Migrant´s mental healthcare and multilevel personal networks

Research project description

PhD will investigate the social needs of the migrant populations living in Barcelona and experiencing mental illness, particularly after their migration.  

Migrants can experience high levels of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, compared to the local population due to their social isolation and loneliness, language barriers, economic deprivation and limited access to local services. Social Network theories and methods provides the theoretical and analytical frameworks to conduct such investigation by offering a systematic methodology and research tools to map a social network and its ramifications.

By interviewing migrants, the doctorate candidate will understand how the psycho-social wellbeing is influenced by the presence (or absence) of nurturing relationships, including with family members, friends, other migrants but also with general doctors and other healthcare professionals.

This investigation provides new insights on the barriers to access care that migrants are facing, and on how relationships play a central role in mitigating mental disorders and providing care for migrants. Moreover, using a multilevel network approach, we will integrate migrants´ personal relationships and their linkages with members of the local community with the network map of health workers working in key mental health-care service providers in Barcelona (Catalunya). For this we will use the network data deriving from the Nest-care project that is part of a Marie-Curie Individual fellowship program. Using the multilevel framework, we will understand the multilevel governance across organisational, clinical, communitarian, and personal linkages that sustain the integrated mental healthcare in Catalunya.

The new evidence can translate in better interventions and integrated solutions to make the migrant population healthier and more socially and culturally integrated. 

Academic background / Skills

Candidates must hold a degree that allows admission to the official doctoral programme at UAB.  

Additional requirements for a stronger application are: 

• Master in Social Sciences (Social Anthropology, Sociology…) with a background on migration studies.  

Essential skills: 

• Proficiency in Spanish and English.  
• Knowledge of the principal social network theories and methods. 
• Experience in collecting personal network data and familiarity with network data collection tools (i.e., Network Canvas). 

Recommended skills:  

• Knowledge of the principal network visualization and analysis tools (i.e., UCINET, Visone). 
• Basic knowledge of programming languages and statistical programs (i.e.,R, STATA..).  

Research group/s description

This research initiative represents a significant knowledge-sharing opportunity between two distinguished research groups: MigraSalud and the Research Group on Fundamental and Oriented Anthropology (GRAFO).

MigraSalud, situated at the Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Deu, focuses on studying and promoting the health of migrated populations.

GRAFO, at the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, investigates the living conditions of socially and economically vulnerable, culturally diverse populations.

GRAFO’s unique perspective delves into relationships, understanding the complex social interdependencies among individuals and how these relationships can contribute to or compensate for vulnerabilities. Specifically, GRAFO explores the relational dimension of collaboration, social support, social capital, considering the individuals’ immediate social environments.

MigraSalud’s mission encompasses a comprehensive examination of the challenges and opportunities inherent in migration, contributing valuable insights to the broader realm of global health research. This collaboration integrates MigraSalud’s migrant health expertise with GRAFO’s emphasis on social interdependencies, promising a holistic exploration of diverse populations’ health.  .