Submission ID 116973
| Issue/Objective | Across the world, men and boys residing in rural areas are leaving their home communities in search of economic opportunity elsewhere. Male absence inevitably prompts shifts in household structure, decision-making, and labour, with those "left behind" - typically women - assuming increased responsibilities. The impacts of these changes on the health and wellbeing of women in migrant-sending communities remain understudied. This study investigates how male out-migration in the community of Tojchoc Grande, Guatemala, shapes health risks, outcomes, and responses among those left behind. Using a social determinants of health lens and systems mapping, the research examines the pathways through which migration influences gendered access to healthcare, food security, and psychosocial health. It also aims to explore the strategies individuals and communities adopt to navigate these challenges. |
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| Methodology/Approach | This study draws on qualitative data collected through household and key informant interviews with healthcare providers, community leaders, and women in migrant-sending households. In collaboration with local, community-based organization, Pastoral de la Tierra San Marcos (PTSM), 68 interviews were conducted between May and December of 2023 in Tojchoc Grande, Guatemala. Interviews were semi-structured and were audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed using a systems thinking approach to map out the pathways through which migration influences health and wellbeing. |
| Results | Findings highlight how male out-migration has significant health implications for those left behind, particularly women. Migration disrupts continuity of care, burdening women with managing household health needs, often with limited access to healthcare services. Food security is affected, with changing dietary choices and behaviours emerging as key concerns in migrant households. Additionally, psychosocial distress is prevalent, with increased anxiety and depression reported due to financial instability and social isolation. Despite these challenges, community members adopt various coping strategies, including using traditional remedies, employing collective caregiving arrangements, and making changes to agricultural production. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | This study highlights pathways by which health is influenced by male out-migration, emphasizing impacts on healthcare access, food security, and psychosocial wellbeing. Findings underscore the need for targeted interventions that strengthen healthcare systems while also leveraging existing community-based strategies for managing the health risks and outcomes of migration among non-migrant individuals. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Emily Kocsis University of Waterloo Joshua Garcia-Barrios University of Waterloo Warren Dodd University of Waterloo |
