Society should make an effort to destigmatize migrant workers and provide more services to support the underserved group, as a majority of them face mental health challenges due to unreasonable working conditions, the Garden of Hope Foundation said on Thursday.
The foundation made the call at a forum on migrant conditions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, during which it announced the results of its survey on mental and physical health among migrant workers in Taiwan.
Kaili Lee (李凱莉), director of the foundation’s migrant services division, said that many domestic caregivers face mental health and other challenges.
Photo: CNA
The foundation therefore conducted a survey from January to April to gain a better understanding of their circumstances, she said.
A total of 531 participants filled out the questionnaire in person and online, the group said.
They were asked basic information about themselves and their jobs, as well as the 10-question Kessler Psychological Distress Scale intended to measure distress based on questions about anxiety and depressive symptoms experienced over the past four weeks.
Of the respondents, 30.1 percent worked in manufacturing and 64.4 percent as caregivers.
Only one-third were determined to be in good mental health, with most domestic workers exhibiting mental distress, the foundation said, adding that caregivers appeared to be under more stress than industrial workers.
Upon further questioning, researchers identified unreasonable working conditions to be a major contributor, Lee said.
These include prohibitions against using their phones — even when not working — and going outside on non-work-related business, as well as a requirement to accompany the patient at all times, she said.
The compounded stress of caring for a patient and an outsize expectation of being responsible for them is harmful to caregivers’ mental health, she added.
More than 52 percent of industrial workers reported satisfaction with their jobs, but most caregivers were ambivalent, saying they would likely leave if offered another job.
In addition, 55.2 percent said that coming to Taiwan has given them worldly experience and allowed them to learn some Chinese, the things most people cited as potential benefits of taking jobs in Taiwan.
Lee called on people to consider the public good caregivers provide.
They should be offered not only equal protections under the law, but also dignity, she said, urging employers to no longer impose unreasonable demands that take a toll on mental health.
When problems arise, local healthcare providers should step in to provide care that centers on the patient, she added, calling for a migrant-friendly and truly integrated society.
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