Kathleen Ford1,2, Aree Jampaklay3, Aphichat Chamratrithirong3. 1. Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. kford@umich.edu. 2. School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1925 Lorraine Place, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, USA. kford@umich.edu. 3. Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: A long-term civil conflict has been occurring in the southernmost provinces of Thailand, and migration to Malaysia has been accelerated by this conflict. The objective of this work was to examine the influence of perceived effects of the unrest, migration of a household member, and children left behind on the reporting of psychiatric symptoms of working age adults. METHODS: A first round of data collection was conducted in 2014 including interviews with a probability sample of 1102 households and individual interviews with 2058 males and females aged 18-59. In 2016, a second round of data collection was conducted. A fixed effects model was used in the analysis. RESULTS: The perceived effect of the unrest on the household was associated with an increased reporting of psychiatric symptoms. Furthermore, the migration of a household member for work and the presence of children left behind were related to an increased reporting of psychiatric symptoms among adults, especially among females. CONCLUSIONS: The unrest and its associated migration was related to an increased reporting of psychiatric symptoms among working age adults in the study population.
OBJECTIVES: A long-term civil conflict has been occurring in the southernmost provinces of Thailand, and migration to Malaysia has been accelerated by this conflict. The objective of this work was to examine the influence of perceived effects of the unrest, migration of a household member, and children left behind on the reporting of psychiatric symptoms of working age adults. METHODS: A first round of data collection was conducted in 2014 including interviews with a probability sample of 1102 households and individual interviews with 2058 males and females aged 18-59. In 2016, a second round of data collection was conducted. A fixed effects model was used in the analysis. RESULTS: The perceived effect of the unrest on the household was associated with an increased reporting of psychiatric symptoms. Furthermore, the migration of a household member for work and the presence of children left behind were related to an increased reporting of psychiatric symptoms among adults, especially among females. CONCLUSIONS: The unrest and its associated migration was related to an increased reporting of psychiatric symptoms among working age adults in the study population.