Asylum seekers working in Quebec (Canada) during the COVID-19 pandemic: Risk of deportation, and threats to physical and mental health

Psychiatry Res. 2020 Oct:292:113299. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113299. Epub 2020 Jul 15.

Abstract

  1. Asylum seekers experienced childhood adversity, domestic violence, extreme poverty and precariousness, armed violence, rape, and detention.

  2. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Quebec (Canada), asylum seekers are on the frontlines, risking their lives to save the lives of others.

  3. In addition to the anxiety associated with COVID-19, these asylum seekers are also concerned about being deported.

  4. Regulation measures should be taken to prevent long-term mental health problems related to anxieties and worries generated by both COVID-19 and asylum status, particularly the fear of deportation.

Publication types

  • Letter
  • Comment