Blindsided, othered, losing, coping: Experiences of syndemics among Nigerian-born migrant women in Johannesburg, South Africa
| dc.contributor.author | Oyenubi, Adetola | |
| dc.contributor.co-supervisor | de Gruchy, Thea | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Vearey, Jo | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-06-04T15:38:37Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-06-04T15:38:37Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023-07 | |
| dc.department | African Centre for Migration and Society | |
| dc.description | A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand in fulfilment of the degree of Master of Art in Migration and displacement studies. | |
| dc.description.abstract | Background and rationale - Migrants in South Africa frequently face complex challenges that negatively affect their mental and physical health. Current literature has mostly focused on identifying these health conditions with little attention paid to the socioeconomic factors that exacerbate the overall well-being of these migrants. To fill this gap, this study explores the health experiences of migrant women in Johannesburg through the lenses of social determinants of health, othering, and coping strategies. Method - The syndemic framework serves as the foundation for this qualitative study, which examines migrant women's lived experiences and how they interpret their health in the context of the stressors they experience in the city. Data from twenty-one Nigerian-born migrant women were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings - Participants' lived experiences represent syndemic suffering, which Mendenhall describes as experiences of poor health that are due to non-biological factors. These complexities include being blindsided by high expectations of a better life in Johannesburg versus sentiments of disappointment with reality, as well as the pressures of being othered in a new society. All of this has resulted in participants losing their health owing to an array of mental health issues and chronic diseases they suffer from. In the midst of their hardships, these women have discovered ways to cope through social support, religion, mobile technology, and self-care. Conclusion - This study contributes to the literature and praxis on social determinants of migrant health, othering, and the syndemic frameworks by providing insight through the findings of this study. By identifying and exploring syndemics among migrant communities in urban Johannesburg, we can explore how syndemic suffering for migrant women shares commonalities with, but also diverges from, that experienced by South African women. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in-region scholarship | |
| dc.description.submitter | MM2024 | |
| dc.faculty | Faculty of Humanities | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Oyenubi, Adetola. (2023). Blindsided, othered, losing, coping: Experiences of syndemics among Nigerian-born migrant women in Johannesburg, South Africa [Master's dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WIReDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/38594 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10539/38594 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | |
| dc.rights | ©2023 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. | |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | |
| dc.school | School of Social Sciences | |
| dc.subject | Migrants in South Africa | |
| dc.subject | Socioeconomic factors | |
| dc.subject | Migrant women in Johannesburg | |
| dc.subject | Nigerian-born migrant women | |
| dc.subject | Health conditions | |
| dc.subject | Social support, religion, mobile technology, and self-care | |
| dc.subject | Mental health issues | |
| dc.subject | Chronic diseases | |
| dc.subject | UCTD | |
| dc.subject | Migration and displacement studies | |
| dc.subject.other | SDG-16: Peace, justice and strong institutions | |
| dc.title | Blindsided, othered, losing, coping: Experiences of syndemics among Nigerian-born migrant women in Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| dc.type | Dissertation |