Knowledge, perception and experiences on COVID-19 pandemic among internal migrant workers in India
Keywords:
Covid-19, Migrant Labour, Knowledge, Experience, IndiaAbstract
Objectives: To identify the knowledge, perceptions, and experiences of internal migrant workers in India regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: The authors conducted 227 semi-structured phone interviews with returnee migrants in Sambalpur, Bargarh, Bolangir, and Deogarh in Odisha state between June and July 2020. Participants were interviewed in Oriya language and the interview schedule included different questions on participants’ awareness, concern, knowledge, and risk. Additionally, the schedule also assessed the impacts of Covid-19 on health well-being of participants.
Results: Among the 227 participants, most responded correctly about the origin, symptoms of COVID-19, and important preventative measures such as regular consumption of Vitamin C, eating a balanced diet, and drinking “Kadha.” However, there was lower knowledge about the causes of the disease and its risks. Regarding the source of information, the majority of migrants received COVID-19-related information from their phones, followed by television. Additionally, many migrants reported job loss and financial stress, which led to challenges and hardships in daily life, particularly around job loss, food security, and family well-being, including the physical health of migrants.
Conclusions: Although migrants revealed high compliance with knowledge and preventative measures related to the pandemic, the majority of them shared negative experiences. Thus, the results underscore the vulnerability of migrant populations to the pandemic and the need for measures that increase resilience to large-scale shocks.
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