EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF COVID-19 CONFINEMENT ON THE VENEZUELAN POPULATION IN THE CONTEXT OF MIGRATION

Abstract

The increasing morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 and the preventive confinement plan have caused psychological changes in the population, this associated with migratory processes, makes people more psychologically vulnerable. Objective: To analyze the emotional impact associated with preventive confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic experienced in the Venezuelan migrant and non-migrant population. Methodology: quantitative, descriptive, transversal research. Study population: 1,128 Venezuelan individuals in different parts of America. A self-administered digital questionnaire was applied, disseminated by messaging and social networks, between June and July 2020. Results: 1,128 people were surveyed: 712 non-migrants and 416 migrants. Most of them, with no medical history, know the objectives of the confinement and agree with it, and a small percentage have suffered or have been in contact with someone diagnosed with the disease. Non-migrants continue to work from home and migrants do not have formal work, being the absence and decrease in income and food what affects them the most in the confinement. Many of them read reliable informational material about COVID and have knowledge about prevention measures and symptoms, perceiving the confinement as an opportunity to change their attitude and share with the family to better cope with confinement. Resources or strengths found are non-migrants, support from family members even at a distance, and migrants’ social networks that allow communication. Most did not present physical symptoms, only a low percentage of anxiety, depression, and stress