University of Missouri: 'South Africa offers a prime example of inequality and the potential struggles that migrants undergo'

A recent study conducted by the University of Missouri revealed that Black South Africans who relocated to find employment experienced improved emotional well-being and reduced risk of depression.

Tyler Myroniuk, an assistant professor at the MU School of Health Professions, led a study that analyzed the internal migration data of approximately 2,300 Black South African migrants from the National Income Dynamic Study between 2008 and 2015.

The recently published research paper, "Post-migration emotional well-being among Black South Africans," appeared in Social Science and Medicine – Mental Health. The study was co-authored by Michael White from Brown University and Sangeetha Madhavan from the University of Maryland.

The results can guide policymakers in directing resources to migrants who have relocated and to those who remain in search of upward mobility.

After the end of Apartheid in 1994, there was a surge of migration across South Africa, with many people moving from rural regions to urban cities in pursuit of better economic prospects.

"Eighty percent of South Africans are Black, yet they have a very small share of the country’s overall wealth as the legacy of Apartheid continues to be felt," Myroniuk said. "South Africa offers a prime example of inequality and the potential struggles that migrants undergo trying to move to overcome such inequalities, so we wanted to better understand how migrants fare after they move."

Following the migration, individuals reported an increase in life satisfaction. The study conducted by Myroniuk and his team, which utilized longitudinal data, indicated that the level of emotional well-being self-reported by the migrants after the move was higher on average when they relocated further away from their place of origin.

"Given how stressful moving can be, I was a bit surprised by the findings,” Myroniuk said. "This research can help us gain insight into why people move, and it also shows that when people move, they typically know what is best for them. They move to make things better, not just for themselves, but for their family as well."

The emotional well-being of individuals who voluntarily migrate within their home country is a subject that has not received sufficient attention. Such internal migration occurs more frequently than international immigration, and Myroniuk is of the opinion that individuals worldwide can relate to the anxiety and uncertainty associated with relocating.

Myroniuk is hopeful that studies like this continue to receive attention as migrants suffer impacts on their physical health is related to disease.

"Whether it’s HIV or COVID-19, the pandemic has definitely put a spotlight on the spread of infectious diseases and the physical health impacts of these diseases," Myroniuk said. "However, as medicine improves and people are living longer, it is also important to think about the mental health and emotional well-being of vulnerable populations, so this research is a small step in the right direction to spark further conversations."