Abstract
Background:Natural hazards, poor socio-economic conditions, low literacy levels, and long-standing conflicts affect traditional gold miners in Sudan and contribute to multiple health vulnerabilities. An extensive survey reveals differential health risk among internal migrant miners leading to short-, medium-, and long-term health consequences and disparities. The need to identify determinants of health behavior and limited prior research on internal migrants involved in traditional gold mining in Sudan motivated this research.Objective:To investigate potential health disparities between internal migrant workers participating in traditional gold mining and their local counterparts.Methods:Questionnaires on socio-demographic and health status in the Abideya area in the River Nile state of Sudan were administered to 211 miners. Composite score variables were devised based on existing literature and data for assessment of underlying risk determinants for the miners’ vulnerability (migrants and non-migrants). Six new composite variables were constructed and subjected to analysis by immigration status.Findings:There are disparities in drivers of health behavior related to the immigration status of traditional gold miners. Access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services are common determinants for the health behavior of both internal migrant miners (p < 0.001) and their local counterparts (p < 0.001). However, knowledge (p < 0.05) and perception (p < 0.05) are additional critical determinants for the health behavior of local miners, while education (secondary, p < 0.01) is an additional modifier for the immigrants’ health behavior.Conclusions:The outcomes of this field-based research suggest increased awareness and risk perceptions among migrants could improve health-related behaviors. The study advocates for policymaking and implementation of health programs at all levels to reduce health disparities between migrants and non-migrants, improving the health status of the entire community.
Highlights
Migration is defined as a process of moving across international borders or within a country
A further step comprised an attempt to recognize the determinants of health behavior, an important factor contributing to health disparities and representing a major concern for traditional gold miners [31, 36]
Recent recommendations from the global conference (Global Consultation on Migration and Health) held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2017, stated that gathering evidence concerning migration and health will necessitate an understanding of the nexus between migration and health and exploration of health issues across different classes of migrants [8]
Summary
Migration is defined as a process of moving across international borders or within a country It encompasses any kind of movement of people, whatever its length, composition, and motivation [1]. People who move internally may continue to another country, most likely to a neighboring country, and to another continent [3] Both internal and international migration are common, and both have short- and long-term implications for migrating individuals and for communities. The need to identify determinants of health behavior and limited prior research on internal migrants involved in traditional gold mining in Sudan motivated this research. Objective: To investigate potential health disparities between internal migrant workers participating in traditional gold mining and their local counterparts. Findings: There are disparities in drivers of health behavior related to the immigration status of traditional gold miners. The study advocates for policymaking and implementation of health programs at all levels to reduce health disparities between migrants and nonmigrants, improving the health status of the entire community
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