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Addressing Migration Stigma in Latin America Using Mental Health Registry-Based Data
Franco Mascayano1,2, Emily Dunkel3, Param Sampat4
1Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States.
International Journal of Public Health
|May 11, 2026
Summary
Mass migration in Latin America creates mental health challenges, especially for migrants with psychosis facing stigma. Addressing migration stigma is crucial for equitable mental healthcare access.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Mental Health Research
- Migration Studies
Background:
- Latin America faces unprecedented migration, impacting millions, including political refugees.
- Mass migration presents significant mental health challenges due to stressors like migration-related stigma.
- Stigma against migrants, labeling them as dangerous or criminal, creates barriers to mental healthcare, particularly for those with psychosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the impact of migration stigma on mental healthcare access for migrants with psychosis in Latin America.
- To highlight the understudied nature of migration and psychosis in the Latin American context.
- To propose the use of population-based registries for quantifying inequities and identifying intervention points.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing population-based registries, such as Chile's national registries and Brazil's 100 Million Cohort.
- Analyzing data to quantify inequities in mental healthcare access for migrants with psychosis.
- Investigating the role of intersectionality (ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status) in exacerbating stigma and care delays.
Main Results:
- Migration stigma intensifies discrimination and structural barriers to mental healthcare for migrants with psychosis.
- Intersectionality factors significantly increase delays and risks in accessing care.
- Latin America remains understudied regarding the mental health of migrants with psychosis.
Conclusions:
- Integrating registry data with anti-stigma strategies is essential for equitable psychosis care.
- Inclusive health policies are critical for addressing the mental health needs of Latin American migrants.
- Population-based data can illuminate how stigma and systemic barriers affect care for migrants with psychosis.
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