Migrants' experiences as health ambassadors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway-a qualitative study

In response to the high incidence of COVID-19 infections among migrants, and lack of information, several interventions relying on migrants to deliver information to their peers were implemented. Although these strategies seem to be effective, the experiences of the migrants disseminating health information have not been studied. The Health Ambassador Project (HA-project) was one of such projects connecting key members from migrant communities (Health Ambassadors (HAs)) with health experts and the municipality, to disseminate health information to migrants. The HA-project was conducted in Bergen, Norway, in 2021-2022. This study aims to understand the experiences of the HAs during their involvement in the HA-project, how their role affected them in positive or negative ways and how they coped with eventual difficulties in the role.

We conducted individual interviews in January 2023 with seven HAs. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using systematic text condensation.

Participating in the HA-project was predominantly a positive experience for all HAs, by acquiring a sense of meaning and of being considered a valuable resource during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were positive social and professional aspects related to being able to meet other HAs and learning from each other's experiences. However, psychological distress was reported related to the responsibility of conveying correct health information about the COVID-19 pandemic to fellow migrants and fighting misinformation. Several HAs used more of their free time than was expected of them, helping people in practical ways. HAs from Ukraine joined the project in 2022 and experienced their roles as more stressful given limitations in the availability of interpretation when collaborating with the experts.

Targeted health interventions relying on migrants to address their peers should consider the experiences of those distributing information and minimize their psychological stress.