The Impact of Stressors on Depressive Symptoms Among Youth Myanmar Migrant Workers in Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Many youths suffer from depressive symptoms globally, especially youth migrant workers who are more vulnerable to depressive symptoms than non-migrant youths. Given the extensive literature reviewed, little is known about the impact of stressors on depressive symptoms among young migrant populations. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of stressors on depressive symptoms among young Myanmar migrants in Thailand.
Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted between August and December 2023, using self-administered questionnaires. The sample size was 165 young migrant workers in Myanmar by simple random sampling. The exclusion criteria were participants who had serious physical illness or acute mental illness, and unwillingness to participate in the study. Sociodemographic characteristics, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and CESD (The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depressive symptoms) were included in the questionnaires. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used for descriptive statistics. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between stressors, self-esteem, coping behavior, and depressive symptoms.
Results: It was found that 47.9% of young Myanmar migrant workers had experienced depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms was associated with four variables: workplace stressors (β = 0.525, p < 0.001), security stressors (β = 0.181, p < 0.01), living stressors (β = 0.126, p < 0.05), and self-esteem (β = − 0.135, p < 0.05).
Conclusion: According to hierarchical linear regression analysis, workplace, security, and living stressors significantly increased depressive symptoms scores, whereas self-esteem decreased depressive symptoms scores among young 165 Myanmar migrant workers. Therefore, policymakers should be encouraged to establish preventive measures against specific stressors. In addition, many young migrant workers have been found to experience depressive symptoms. Mental health care should be prioritized and made accessible to this vulnerable and risky group.