Health and Well-being in Times of COVID-19. Experiences from Latin American Women in Hamburg
My project focuses on the experiences of Latin American women during the COVID-19 pandemic. The investigation takes place in Hamburg, the second largest city in Germany and place of residence of many migrants and refugees.
It is my experience as a volunteer and my interest in mental health that has driven this research. I became concerned with these topics after supporting the elderly in Ecuador; migrants, refugees and their children in the Red Cross in Spain. This project was also conceived during my Master´s thesis, when I focused on illness narratives about depression. The central question in this dissertation asked how affected people describe their situation and explain the illness. Furthermore, I investigated about the work and meaning of support group meetings for people coping with depression. Therefore, I participated in support group meetings and visited various public events with focus on mental health in Berlin, like the Woche der Seelischen Gesundheit (Mental Health Week). During fieldwork, I witnessed the lack of access to health related resources and observed therapeutic approaches beyond psychopharmaceuticals and psychotherapy. This lack of health and social care services seems to have deteriorated during the pandemic, as several institutions closed or changed to online services. In this context, I consider that it is important further research of equity and access to health related associations, such as social networks, support groups, grassroots organisations or NGOs. In particular, I am interested in people’s perceptions and strategies to cope with the pandemic and deal with its difficulties. The main focus of my research is on the experiences of Latin American migrant women in Hamburg during the different phases of the pandemic.
The central question in this dissertation asks, how have Latin American women in Hamburg experienced the COVID-19 pandemic? This research seeks also to address the following questions: How do they perceive and describe the pandemic? And, what resources and coping strategies do they need and use to handle the pandemic, especially for health and well-being?
The pandemic affected people worldwide, but not in the same manner. Commenting on COVID-19, Paul Ward argues: “the virus can affect anyone, anywhere – but potentially impacts certain groups more than others due to different living conditions and material circumstances” (2020: 729). Also, Deborah Lupton mentions the persistent inequalities in times of COVID-19:
“While everybody is at risk from contracting the coronavirus, it has already become clear that differences in national governments´ responses to controlling the pandemic, combined with differing social, economic and institutional capacities to support disadvantaged groups, have led to starkly divergent successes in the management of the pandemic´s health and social effects” (2020:111).
The research project aims to contribute to the study of social processes impacted by the pandemic phenomenon. In particular, it will focus on the situation of migration between the global South and the global North, namely the experience of Latin American women living in Germany. Moreover, the results will also contribute to the field of public health, especially mental health and well-being through a qualitative approach, emphasising people’s social meanings and narratives.
In methodological terms, the investigation draws on the tools of social anthropology, such as participant observation, informal conversations, field notes, individual and group interviews (semi-structured qualitative interviews that are audio-recorded and transcribed) and media analysis. As a way of accessing the field, I first contacted associations in Hamburg that support migrant women in terms of health care, residence permit, job search, etc. and support group organisations.
First findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has been experienced as a challenge during the migration process. My research partners described this time period as “to be throwed backwards”. While language skills were seen as a bridge in the integration process, it was problematic that German classes had to be paused due to the shutdown. In addition, social and health care facilities were closed too, offered less service or had only online support. Since there were uncertainties about the virus and confusion about the measures – the lack of support and the isolation reinforced this situation. Without sufficient support in the case of illness, when people got sick and had no place to go, or someone to ask, they felt lonely and left by their own. The loss of loved ones has been explained as a turning point – “death makes you think,” as one of my interview partners commented. Furthermore, there are other difficulties besides the pandemic. It was mentioned that the war in Ukraine causes a lot of fear. While memories of the past, e.g. suffering violence, persist present too. The investigation is in its initial phases, several questions remain unanswered at present and further work is required.
Lupton, Deborah 2020: Special section on ‘Sociology and the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic’. Health Sociology Review, 29 (2), 111-112. (available on-line: https://doi.org/10.1080/14461242.2020.1790919). Accessed 4 August 2022.
Ward, Paul R. 2020: A sociology of the Covid-19 pandemic: A commentary and research agenda for sociologists. Journal of Sociology, 56 (4), 726-735. (available on-line: https://doi.org/10.1177/1440783320939682). Accessed 4 August 2022.
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