Mental Health of Central American Migrants while in-transit through Mexico

Erick Garza

Name: Erick Garza
School: Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Class of 2024
Mentor: Geoffrey Reed, PhD

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Abstract

Over the past two decades there has been an exodus of migrants from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras fleeing violence poverty and coming into the United States in search for a better life. On their journey, these migrants cross Mexico often to face physical and sexual violence, discrimination, shelter and food insecurity. These traumatic experiences negatively impact migrants’ mental health which can lead to anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse. Furthermore, since most migrants typically lack health insurance and are poor, they face barriers in access to mental health services in Mexico. This study aims to explore the mental health status and needs of migrants in-route through Mexico as well as investigate risk and protective factors that affect their mental health. Some of the methods were investigating resilience scales, reviewing and editing qualitative and quantitative surveys, and compiling a scoping review of the mental health of Central American migrants migrating to the US while in-transit through Mexico.