BU Research Blog

March 8, 2024

New BU migrants’ health paper

BU research, Featured academics, Global engagement, international, open access, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Drs. Pramod Regmi and Nirmal Aryal in the Department of Nursing Sciences published a new paper with colleagues from Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines in PLoS ONE under the title ‘Assessing the basic knowledge and awareness of dengue fever prevention among migrant workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia’. [1] Globally, 390 million dengue virus infections occur per year. In Malaysia, migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to Dengue Fever (DF) due to mosquito breeding sites exposure and poor health literacy. This study reports on assessing the current Dengue Fever knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP). The paper identifies strategies to promote awareness around Dengue Fever among migrant workers in Malaysia. Most respondents were male, working in the services industry, had completed high school, aged between 30–39 years and with less than ten years work experience in Malaysia. Overall, respondents’ knowledge was positively correlated with attitude but negatively with practices. Older respondents, who had completed higher education, obtained higher knowledge scores. Similarly, those with working experience of >20 years in Malaysia obtained higher attitude scores. Respondents with a previous history of Dengue Fever strongly considered the removal of mosquito breeding sites as their own responsibility, hence tended to frequently apply preventive measures. Respondents’ knowledge was also positively correlated to their understanding of Dengue Fever information sourced from social media platforms.

Congratulations!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Reference:

Chaudhary MN, Lim V-C, Faller EM, Regmi P, Aryal N, Mohd Zain SN, Azman AS, Sahimin B. (2024) Assessing the basic knowledge and awareness of dengue fever prevention among migrant workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia. PLoS ONE 19(2): e0297527. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297527

October 9, 2023

Dissemination kidney-disease research Kathmandu

BU research, Events, Featured academics, Global engagement, international, policy, Research communication, Research news, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

Yesterday, Sunday 8th October we held an event in the capital of Nepal to disseminate the findings of our study of the kidney health of Nepalese migrant workers working abroad. The study included 718 migrants and 725 non-migrants from Dhanusha district which has the highest number of labour migrants working abroad. Our study found that 5.8 % of our migrant samples had some sign of kidney injury compared to non-migrants (3.6%). The study also reported other lifestyle risk factors in migrants than non migrants. Labour migration has become an integral part of Nepali society, over a quarter of the country’s national income is from remunerations, i.e. workers sending money home from abroad. It is therefore important to measure and record these problems related to kidney health to get policymakers and other relevant stakeholders to implement culturally adapted and feasible interventions to promote healthy lifestyle and improve working conditions.

This mixed-methods study adopted Disadvantaged Populations eGFR Epidemiology Study (DEGREE) protocol which combines a questionnaire around living and working conditions abroad with biological measurements. This study, funded by the UK-based Colt Foundation, is the first of its kind in Nepal. The BU team comprises Dr. Pramod Regmi, Principal Academic and Dr. Nirmal Aryal, Postdoctoral Researcher, both in the Department of Nursing Science, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, in the Department of Midwifery & Health Sciences. This event yesterday in Hotel Radisson in Kathmandu was first of two dissemination events, the second one will on Wednesday 11 October in the fieldwork area. In Kathmandu some 45-50 people attended including on of the regional ministers of Labour, Employment & Transport.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

January 6, 2023

BU research mentioned in The Washington Post

BU research, Featured academics, Global engagement, international, Publishing, Research news, Uncategorized, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Today The Washington Post mentioned Bournemouth University’s research into kidney disease in migrant workers from Nepal. Our research was highlighted in an article with the title ‘The world’s torrid future is etched in the crippled kidneys of Nepali workers‘ written by journalist Gerry Shih. Dr. Pramod Regmi and Dr. Nirmal Aryal, both in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, are leading on a research project on kidney health and migrant workers. The paper mentioned in The Washington Post is titled: ‘Risk of kidney health among returnee Nepali migrant workers: A survey of nephrologists’ [1]. This survey paper was published just over a year ago, in late 2021, and it was preceded by other papers on this issue [2-3].

Dr. Pramod Regmi is Senior Lecturer in International Health and, Dr. Nirmal Aryal recently returned to BU as researcher on a study into kidney disease among Nepalese migrant workers (funded by the Colt Foundation).

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

References

Aryal, N., Sedhain, A., Regmi, P.R., KC, R.K.,& van Teijlingen, E. (2021). Risk of kidney health among returnee Nepali migrant workers: A survey of nephrologists. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences, 12(12), 126–132.
Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., Faller, E.M,, van Teijlingen, E., Khoon, C.C., Pereira, A., Simkhada, P. (2019) Sudden cardiac death and kidney health related problems among Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia, Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 9(3): 755-758.
Simkhada, P.P., Regmi, PR., van Teijlingen, E., Aryal, N. (2017) Identifying the gaps in Nepalese migrant workers’ health & well-being: A review of literature, Journal of Travel Medicine 24(4): 1-9.

December 28, 2022

Remember South-Asian migrant workers in the Middle East

BU research, Featured academics, Global engagement, international, Public engagement, Publishing, Research news, Uncategorized, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

The precarious situation of migrant workers engaged in building the football stadiums in Qatar has been well documented. It was brought to the fore during the FIFA Men’s Football World Cup. Their working conditions as well as their living conditions are often very poor. During the games the Qatar World Cup’s chief executive, Nasser al-Khater reportedly made the rather flippant comment: “Death is a natural part of life, whether it’s at work, whether it’s in your sleep.” Begum and Worden see this as part of Qatar’s shameful government attitude towards the often preventable deaths of migrant workers, which in their view is reflected in the authorities’ failure to investigate the thousands of migrant worker deaths since 2010. [1]

Today Dr. Pramod Regmi, Dr. Nirmal Aryal, Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, and BU Visiting Professor Padam Simkhada published ‘Excessive Mortalities among Migrant Workers: the Case of the 2022 FIFA World Cup’ appeared in print [12]. At the time of submission to the Europasian Journal of Medical Science we wrote “The men’s FIFA Football World Cup 2022 is in full flow in Qatar” [2], but, of course, it has finished with a very exciting final between Argentina and France. Even with a fast review and acceptance process there was no chance that our ‘Brief Communication’ was going to be published during the World Cup. The delay, however, gives us the opportunity today to remind our readers of the need to keep the plight of migrant workers in the Middle East on the world’s agenda.

The FIFA World Cup brought these poor conditions and exploitation of foreign workers in the Middle East to the world’s attention. However, there is a great risk that the attention of the world, including that of campaigners, pressure groups, the media, politicians, and so on moves on to the next ‘hot’ topic. [3]

References:

Begum, R., Worden, M. (2022) Qatar and FIFA’s Callous Response to a Migrant Worker’s Death. Migrant Workers, Their Families Should be Compensated for Abuses, Human Rights Watch News, December 8, 2022 7:26PM EST
Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., Aryal, N., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Excessive mortalities among migrant workers: the case of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences, 4:31-32. https://doi.org/10.46405/ejms.v4i0.455
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P.R. (2022). Migrant Workers in Qatar: Not just an important topic during the FIFA World Cup 2022. Health Prospect, 21(3):1-2. https://doi.org/10.3126/hprospect.v21i3.49835

December 9, 2022

Migrant labour, the not so nice side of the FIFA World Cup

BU research, Featured academics, international, Publishing, Uncategorized, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Football has been referred to as ‘the beautiful game’. And to be fair, there has been some brilliant football at the men’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Qatar’s records on human rights have been widely criticised in the run up to this global event. The global media have spent a lot of time on commenting on several social and economic issues in Qatar, such as LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) rights, the role and status of women, and the exploitation of migrant workers. Migrant workers from South Asia, including those from Nepal, have helped build the stadiums and roads leading up to it, provide the security at venues, take the suitcases of the conveyor belts at the airport, and serve fans and visitors food and drink at the venues. Many of these migrant workers are exploited not just by employers in Qatar, but also by labour agencies in their home countries. The risks are high, especially for those migrant workers who do the dirty, dangerous and difficult jobs (i.e. the 3Ds).

As researchers conducting research in the area of migration and health, we are worried that when the world cup finishes next weekend the world’s media will move on from Qatar and the attention will disappear from the exploitation of migrant workers in the Middle East (and elsewhere). We all know that the media’s focus will shift to on another global event, next week or next month. We want to make sure that spotlight stays on this global problem.

Dr. Pramod Regmi, Dr. Nirmal Aryal & Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Faculty of Health & Social Sciences

December 1, 2021

Two health and migration papers published in two days

BU research, COVID-19, Featured academics, Global engagement, international, open access, Publishing, Research news, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Congratulations to dr. Pramod Regmi on the publication today of our research article ‘Risk of Kidney health among returnee Nepali migrant workers: A survey of nephrologists‘ [1]. This paper was published today in the Asian Journal of Medical Sciences. It is co-authored with a clinician (a nephrologist) and a migration and health expert in Nepal. This paper reports on the Bournemouth University-led study with kidney specialists in Nepal which was reported in The Sunday Times under the heading ‘Qatar 2022: Dying for the World Cup‘ a fortnight ago.

Last Saturday Dr. Nirmal Aryal (now researcher at the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and BU Visiting Faculty) and Dr. Regmi presented this research at a webinar in Nepal which was well attended and shown on Facebook Life.

Yesterday the Journal of Health Promotion published another Bournemouth University co-authored paper on health and migration with the title ‘Perceived threats towards COVID-19 pandemic among Nepali migrant workers returned from India’. Both paper are published Open Access and, as such, freely available across the globe to anyone with internet access!

References:

Aryal, N., Sedhain, A., Regmi, P.R., KC, R.K.,& van Teijlingen, E. (2021). Risk of kidney health among returnee Nepali migrant workers: A survey of nephrologists. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences, 12(12), 126–132.
Khanal, S. P., van Teijlingen, E., Sharma, M. K., Acharya, J., & Sharma, S. (2021). Perceived threats towards COVID-19 pandemic among Nepali migrant workers returned from India. Journal of Health Promotion,9(01), 87–99.

December 14, 2019

Migration & mental health research in Nepal

BU research, Featured academics, Global engagement, Impact, Research news, research staff, Uncategorized, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Congratulations to Dr. Pramod Regmi and Dr. Nirmal Aryal, both in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences (FHSS), who co-authored of our latest health and migration paper which was accepted this week. This paper called “Nepali migrant workers and the need for pre-departure training on mental health: a qualitative study” will appear in the Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health [1]. This is the sixth paper published this year by this FHSS team of researchers on migration and health research about Nepal and the twelfth paper in total on the topic [2-12].

This important health and migration research in Nepal and about Nepali migrant workers is also the foundation of a Bournemouth University REF 2021 Impact Case Study.

Reference:

Regmi, P., Aryal, N., van Teijlingen, E., Adhikary, P. Nepali migrant workers and the need for pre-departure training on mental health: a qualitative study, Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health (accepted).
Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E., Mahato, P., Aryal, N., Jadhav, N., Simkhada, P., Syed Zahiruddin, Q., Gaidhane, A., (2019) The health of Nepali migrants in India: A qualitative study of lifestyles and risks, Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health 16(19), 3655; doi:10.3390/ijerph16193655.
International Organization for Migration (2019) Research on the Health Vulnerabilities of the Cross-Border Migrants from Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: International Organization for Migration.
Dhungana, R.R., Aryal, N, Adhikary, P., KC, R., Regmi, P.R., Devkota, B., Sharma, G.N., Wickramage, K., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. (2019) Psychological morbidity in Nepali cross-border migrants in India: A community-based cross-sectional, BMC Public Health 19:1534 https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-7881-z
Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Mahato, P. (2019) Adolescents left behind by migrant workers: a call for community-based mental health interventions in Nepal. WHO South East Asia Journal of Public Health 8(1): 38-41.
Adhikary P, van Teijlingen E., Keen S. (2019) Workplace accidents among Nepali male workers in the Middle East and Malaysia: A qualitative study, Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health 21(5): 1115–1122. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10903-018-0801-y
Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen, E.R., Gurung, M., Wasti, S. (2018) A survey of health problems of Nepalese female migrants workers in the Middle-East & Malaysia, BMC International Health & Human Rights 18(4): 1-7. http://rdcu.be/E3Ro
Adhikary P, Sheppard, Z., Keen S., van Teijlingen E. (2018) Health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers abroad, International Journal of Migration, Health & Social Care 14(1): 96-105. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-12-2015-0052
Adhikary, P, Sheppard, Z., Keen, S., van Teijlingen, E. (2017) Risky work: accidents among Nepalese migrant workers in Malaysia, Qatar & Saudi Arabia, Health Prospect 16(2): 3-10.
Simkhada, P.P., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Aryal, N. (2017) Identifying the gaps in Nepalese migrant workers’ health and well-being: A review of the literature, Journal of Travel Medicine 24 (4): 1-9.
Adhikary, P., Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen E., Raja, AE. (2008) Health & Lifestyle of Nepalese Migrants in the UK BMC International Health & Human Rights 8(6). Web address: www.biomedcentral.com/1472-698X/8/6
Sapkota, T., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2014) Nepalese health workers’ migration to United Kingdom: A qualitative study. Health Science Journal 8(1):57-74.

November 12, 2019

What makes a Bournemouth University publication?

BU research, Featured academics, international, open access, policy, Publishing, Research Centres, Research communication, Research news, research staff, Uncategorized, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Last week the IOM (International Organization for Migration) in Nepal, the UN Migration Agency published a new report online: Research on the Health Vulnerabilities of the Cross-Border Migrants from Nepal. This report mentioned the input and advice of Bournemouth University (BU) staff, including Dr. Nirmal Aryal, who worked on the report prior to his appointment at BU and who is listed as Co-Investigator, furthermore listed as Resource Persons are: Dr. Pramod Regmi and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen. Working with the charity Green Tara Nepal (GTN) on this study has been good for IOM and BU. All of use have worked on the report in different kind of ways and to different degrees. The publication suggested a corporate authorship as ‘International Organization for Migration’, which is great for the status of the report as it is a UN agency. We feel part of this as BU academics and feel we are part of the team despite this not being a BU publication!

Professor Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

Reference:

International Organization for Migration (2019) Research on the Health Vulnerabilities of the Cross-Border Migrants from Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: International Organization for Migration. Available at : https://nepal.iom.int/sites/default/files/publication/Research_on_The_Health_Vulnerabilities_of_The_Cross_Border_Migrants_from_Nepal_0.pdf

April 24, 2019

BU migration health stakeholders’ meetings in Malaysia

BU research, Events, Featured academics, Fusion, Global engagement, international, policy, Public engagement, Publishing, Research news, Uncategorized, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

BU’s researchers Dr. Pramod Raj Regmi and Dr. Nirmal Aryal have recently visited Malaysia for a consultation meeting. They organised meetings with stakeholders working on migration health related and Nepali migrant workers as Public Patient Involvement (PPI ) in Malaysia. These meetings discussed risk factors for sudden nocturnal deaths and kidney disease among Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia.

More than 350 Nepali migrant workers die in Malaysia every year. Nearly one-fourth of them die from cardiovascular problems often during their sleep, many without previous signs or illnesses. This also seems to be the case in South Asian workers in the Middle-East. The cause of death is hitherto unknown. During a consultation meeting on 19^th April, participants suggested several possible causes of these deaths and strongly supported the idea of carrying out verbal autopsy with close friends, employers, roommates, etc. The emerging health issue of kidney health risk among Nepali migrant workers and its risk factors were also discussed. A total of 25 participants attended the meeting. Participants from many different disciplines [1], including from migration health researchers from several universities, migrant workers’ non-governmental organizations (NGO), the Malaysian Ministry of Health, and International Organization for Migration (IOM) Malaysia. FHSS’s Drs Aryal and Regmi facilitated the consultation workshops.

On the same day, Dr. Regmi and Dr. Aryal met with the Nepali ambassador to Malaysia Mr. Udaya Raj Pandey and his team and discussed migration issues. The Nepali Embassy in Malaysia is aware of these health problems and the ambassador committed to provide any support required for further investigation in these issues.

On 20^th April, another PPI was carried out among Nepali migrant workers at their living quarters. Around 20 Nepali migrant workers participated. During this meeting, issues of sudden nocturnal deaths and acceptability and feasibility of verbal autopsy tools, problem of kidney disease and its possible triggers were discussed. The research into the usefulness of verbal autopsy tool as a good example of BU’s FUSION, since research can lead to a change in practice regarding health of migrant workers through better education of the migrant community, their left-behind families and NGOs working in the field.

These consultation meeting and PPI were intended to develop basis for further research in these area and build collaboration in Malaysia. The NGOs North-South Initiatives (Mr. Adrian Pereira and his team) and Migrant Workers’ Health Alliance (Dr. Erwin Martinez Faller and his team) have locally co-ordinated these events. These activities were conducted from the QR pump-priming fund awarded to Dr. Aryal this year in FHSS.

Finally, on 21^st April, Dr. Regmi and Dr. Aryal were invited to the Philippine Embassy to share knowledge on mental health risk among migrant workers. They have presented findings of previous BU’s research on it as well as existing evidence on mental health risk on migrant workers and their left-behinds. More than 60 Filipino migrant workers attended the event.

As Malaysia is a popular destination for migrant workers from Asia Pacific and South Asia (there are currently more than 700,000 Nepali workers in Malaysia), these consultations will play a significant role in designing and developing grant applications to promote health and wellbeing of migrant workers. This consultation meeting builds on recent work on the topic conducted at BU [2-14] as highlighted in the recent Research Brief Migration and Health (Jan. 2019).

References:

van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Adhikary, P., Aryal, N., Simkhada, P. (2019). Interdisciplinary Research in Public Health: Not quite straightforward. Health Prospect, 18(1), 4-7.
Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Mahat, P. (2019) Adolescents left behind by migrant workers: a call for community-based mental health interventions in Nepal. WHO South East Asia J Public Health 8 (1): 38-41.
Adhikary P, Sheppard Z., Keen S. van Teijlingen E (2018) Health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers abroad, Int J Migration, Health Social Care 14(1): 96-105
Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen, ER., Gurung, M., Wasti, S. (2018) A study of Health Problems of Nepalese Female Migrants Workers in the Middle-East & Malaysia, BMC Int Health Human Rights 18(1):4.
Adhikary P, Sheppard Z, Keen S, van Teijlingen E (2017) Risky work: Accidents among Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia, Qatar & Saudi, Health Prospect 16(2): 3-10
Simkhada P, Regmi, P, van Teijlingen E, Aryal N (2017) Identifying gaps in Nepalese migrant workers’ health & well-being: A review of literature J Travel Med 24(4): 1-9
Aryal, N., Regmi, PR., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Adhikary, P., Bhatta, YKD., Mann, S. (2016) Injury & Mortality in Young Nepalese Migrant Workers: A Call for Public Health Action. Asian-Pacific J Public Health 28(8): 703-705.
Aryal, N., Regmi, PR., van Teijlingen, E., Dhungel, D., Ghale, G., Bhatta, GK. (2016) Knowing is not enough: Migrant workers’ spouses vulnerability to HIV SAARC J Tuberculosis, Lung Diseases HIV/AIDS 8(1):9-15.
Joshi, S., Prescott, G., Simkhada, P., Sharma, N., Bhurtyal, Y. (2014). Knowledge and Risk Perceptions about HIV/AIDS among Nepalese Migrants in Gulf Countries: a Cross-sectional Study. Health Sci J, 8 (3) pp 350-36
Sapkota, T., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2014) Nepalese health workers’ migration to United Kingdom: A qualitative study. Health Sci J 8(1):57-74.
Joshi S, Simkhada, P, Prescott, G (2011) Health problems of Nepalese migrants working in three Gulf countries, BMC Int Health Human Rights, 2011, 11:3
Adhikary P, Keen S, van Teijlingen E. (2011) Health Issues among Nepalese migrant workers in Middle East. Health Sci J 5: 169-75.
van Teijlingen E, Simkhada, P, Adhikary P. (2009) Alcohol use among the Nepalese in UK. BMJ Rapid Response www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/339/oct20_1/b4028#223451
Adhikary, P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Raja, A. (2008). Health and Lifestyle of Nepalese Migrants in the UK; BMC Int Health Human Rights, 8(6).

February 28, 2019

Dr. Aryal funded to attend international workshop on migration & health

BU research, conferences, Featured, Featured academics, Impact, international, Research communication, Uncategorized, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Congratulations to Dr. Nirmal Aryal in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences has been selected to participate in an international workshop targeting early career researchers (ECRs) on ‘Engendering research and reframing policy debate on migration & health and intersectional rights’ to be held in Kathmandu (Nepal) from 25th to 28th April 2019.

This workshop is jointly organized by several universities in the UK, India as well as the International Organisation for Migration, as well as the Migration Health and Development Research Initiative(MHADRI). There will be 18 ECRs from South Asia and South East Asia and Nirmal is one for the six from the UK. The organizers will fund flight to and accommodation in Nepal.

Congratulations!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

December 7, 2018

BU-Community Partnership Workshop (Refugee & Migrant Leisure Network)

BU research, Funding opportunities, Fusion, Impact jchoe

Dr. Jaeyeon Choe, Dr. Varuni Wimalasiri, Dr. Nicola De Martini Ugolottiand, and Dr. Jayne Caudwell in Faculty of Management organised the Refugee and Migrant Leisure Network workshop on December 5th with community partners including Dorset Race Equality Council and Unity in Vision.

During the two-hour workshop, we discussed how to support refugee and migrant communities in Dorset including ‘vocation’ and language learning. We also discussed other mechanisms that help their re-settlement and integration such as cooking workshops, community events, music and art, all which might provide a broader scope of support such as social and emotional/psychological well-being.

We agreed that we need to listen to refugee and migrant ‘voices’ for their settlement, integration, meaning making and well-being in order to develop supportive programmes. It’s often seen that existing programmes don’t meet what refugee and migrant populations actually need. There is an urgent need to listen to their problems, challenges, so as to develop effective support programmes.

We also discussed ‘qualitative’ data that community organisations often collect including stories, lived experiences and anecdotes do not communicate well with policy makers. What will be an effective strategy to convert the ‘messy’ data (from community events, sport, music, and art) into policy making? This is a challenge for both community organisations and researchers.

Our community partners also shared that they are facing new challenges (ie funding). All councils and community organisations face difficulties in developing, managing and ‘sustaining’ support systems for refugee and migrant populations. Whilst discussing the role of a local university when supporting refugee and migrant issues, securing some funding can be one area to work on for both researchers and community groups. For example, Dr. Jaeyeon Choe recently applied for a grant with two of the community partners to support their activities as well as her own research. The proposal focuses on Syrian refugee resettlement, belonging, subjective well-being and community ‘food’ events in rural UK. We are also looking into larger/future collaborative funding opportunities together.

For BU academics, it was very fruitful to listen to and learn from community workers about refugee and migrant issues in Dorset and beyond. Besides the productive discussions, it was inspiring to see people who are passionate about supporting and working hard for refugee and migrant communities!

If you are interested in our network, please follow us:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/400355213641367?tsid=0.41635546925909617&source=result

April 25, 2017

Update on the Migrant & Refugee Leisure Spaces and Community Well-being post Brexit project

BRIAN, BU research, EU, Events, Festival of Learning, Fusion, Public engagement jchoe

The ‘Migrant & Refugee Leisure Spaces and Community Well-being’ research project is focused on building research capacity to respond to social and cultural shifts in Dorset following Brexit with regard to migrant and refugee wellbeing. – See more at: http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2017/01/27/we-love-eu-migrant-refugee-leisure-spaces-and-community-well-being-project/

The project brings together academics and community partners, including b-side Arts Organisation, Poole Museum, Dorset Race Equality Council, Bournemouth & Poole City of Sanctuary and Bournemouth University STAR (Student Action for Refugees). In particular, we are interested in past and present migration flows and the inclusion of displaced peoples in Dorset, and we are keen to explore and document the positive ways individuals and groups make connections through leisure, including sport, art, heritage and culture.

One of the projects related to this research is this socially-engaged art work entitled: Shahre Farang by Farhad Berahman produced by b-side. Farhad and his art work will appear at Bournemouth University Festival of Learning in July as well as Refugee Week (June 19th – 25th) events and b-side Outpost Art Festival.

“If you could never return home, what would you do and where would you go if you were granted just one minute to be there?”
Iranian photographer Farhad Berahman presents the memories of 20 Iranian asylum seekers who are unable to return home. Look into the beautiful Shahre Farang (an Iranian peepbox used by wandering storytellers) and see their memories made real, meet the artist and join in with discussion and activities.

The Shahre Farang piece is touring Dorset visiting Bridgeport and Dorchester markets, Portland, Poole and Bournemouth University Festival of Learning:

Outpost, Portland 17 – 22 June
Poole Museum 24 June
Dorchester Market 28 June
Bridport Market 01 July
Bournemouth University 08 July

While we are very excited for the upcoming socially engaged art events, we are currently discussing how we can encourage members of Dorset refugee or migrant communities to attend the Festival of Learning at Bournemouth University. We are working with members of the newly formed network of community partners to extend invites to as many groups as possible.

Later this year, core academic members will attend the Leisure Studies Association (LSA) annual conference (July) and the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) annual conference (August/September) to present work and chair sessions. The details are as follows:

Associate Prof. Jayne Caudwell and Dr. Katherine King are presenting in the ‘Leisure and Social Justice’ session at the LSA International Conference in Leeds. They will reflect on the development of the co-created, socially engaged arts event. In framing their critical reflection, they discuss the role of leisure spaces and practices in building connections between previously disconnected groups of people living in Dorset.

Dr. Jaeyeon Choe and Prof. Janet Dickinson are session organisers for ‘Migrant Leisure Spaces and Community Wellbeing’ at RGS-IBS International Conference in London. The session includes a number of diverse papers from the UK, Mexico, Canada and Australia addressing key issues surrounding migration, leisure and space. http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2016/12/22/cfp-rgs-ibg-annual-conference-2017-migrant-leisure-spaces-and-community-wellbeing/

If you are interested in our project, please follow us:
Project web-page: https://research.bournemouth.ac.uk/project/migrant-refugee-leisure-wellbeing/
Facebook: Migrant Leisure Spaces
Twitter: @migrantspaces

September 19, 2016

New paper on Nepalese migrant workers

BU research, Global engagement, international, Research news pregmi

Approximately 3.5 million young Nepalese are working abroad. Unskilled construction jobs including labourer, scaffolder, plumber and carpenter are the most common jobs. Every year there are more than 1000 deaths and many hundreds cases of injuries among Nepalese workers in these countries excluding India. For example, the Foreign Employment Promotion Board of Nepal recently reported that 1002 Nepalese migrant workers died in the 6 GCC countries and Malaysia in the last Nepalese calendar year, of which 357 (36%) were documented as cardiac related. However, in a quarter of deaths, the cause was unknown. Postmortem examination of migrant workers in many destination countries is not carried out and official records of the destination countries tend to record these deaths as being ‘from natural causes’. Information on underlying causes, such as heat stress on construction sites, is often not available.

The paper [1] which was recently published in SAGE’s Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health Journal, is jointly contributed by researchers based in New Zealand, Nepal, and FHSS’s Professor Edwin van Teijlingen and Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Dr Pramod Regmi, Dr Pratik Adhikary (BU’s ex PhD student) and FHSS’s visiting Professor Padam Simkhada. The authors argue that despite the contribution made by migrant workers to the economic prosperity of the host countries, they often face many major difficulties accessing effective health care and are perceived as a burden on the local health care system. Therefore, greater efforts are needed to protect the health and well-being of migrant workers from Nepal and other South-Asian nations.

BU staffs and students can freely access this paper by visiting this link.

Aryal, N., Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Adhikary, P., Bhatta, Y. and Mann, S., 2016. Injury and Mortality in Young Nepalese Migrant Workers: A Call for Public Health Action. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health. DOI: 10.1177/1010539516668628

Congratulations to the all authors for bringing up this important public health issue.

Pramod Regmi

July 13, 2011

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