Publications Search
This publications portal is a repository of all IOM migration health publications from 2006 to present where IOM was a primary contributor.
Publications include peer-reviewed scientific papers, technical reports, training guides/manuals, policy briefs/discussion papers, factsheets, newsletters, research reviews, conference and poster presentations. These are categorized by topic, author, country/region covered as well as by year, language, and type of publication. The map reflects the countries covered by the publications.
To browse or search: simply use the filter options on the left-hand side. Alternatively, you can enter keyword/s in the search box. Selecting a specific publication will lead to a ‘download’ link or link to the website where the document is housed. Here is the step-by-step guide for your reference.

Displacement-related stressors in a Sri Lankan war-affected community: Identifying the impact of war exposure and ongoing stressors on trauma symptom severity
Author/s: Fiona C. Thomas, Simon Coulombe, Todd A. Girard, Tae L. Hart, Shannon Doherty, Giselle Dass, Kolitha Wickramage, Chesmal Siriwardhana, Rajendra Surenthirakumaran, Kelly McShane
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a shift in the literature towards identifying how ongoing stress adversely affects mental health beyond the effect of direct exposure to war-related violence. The goal of the current study was to investigate the relationship between displacement-related stressors and trauma symptom severity. Participants (N = 1015) were recruited from primary healthcare clinics (PHCs) in Northern Sri Lanka and completed a demographic and displacement…

When husband migrate: effects of international migration of husbands on fetal outcomes, body mass index and gestational weight of female spouses that stay behind
Author/s: Renuka Jayatissa, Kolitha Wickramage, Buddhini Herath Denuwara, Himali Herath, Ranbanda Jayawardana, Amila Gayan Perera, Nawamali De Alwis
Abstract
Background
International labour migration continues to be an integral component in Sri Lanka’s economic development. Previous research indicates an adverse perinatal outcome in association with low maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (PBMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG). However, evidence of this association is limited in migrant families. This study aims to investigate the associations between PBMI, GWG among lactating mothers (LM), and fetal outcomes…

Management of health information of Nepalese labour migrants
Author/s: Rajendra Karkee, Minani Gurung, Lisasha Poudel, Chiranjivi Baral, Pratik Adhikary, Radheshyam Krishan KC, Sundip Gurung, Vasil Gajdadziev, Patrick Duigan, Montira Inkochasan, Kolitha Prabhash Wickramage, Ganesh Gurung
Abstract
Introduction
The monitoring and improvement of the health of labour migrants (LMs) require sufficient health data to be recorded
and managed. In this context, this study was conducted to understand the management of health information of
Nepalese Labour Migrants (NLMs).
Methods
This is an explorative qualitative study. Stakeholders involved directly or indirectly in maintaining the health data of
NLMs were first mapped,…

Risk of kidney health among returnee Nepali migrant workers: A survey of nephrologists
Author/s: Nirmal Aryal, Arun Sedhain, Pramod R Regmi, Radheshyam Krishna KC, Edwin van Teijlingen
Background: Anecdotal reports suggest an increasing prevalence of kidney problems in returnee Nepali migrant workers from the Gulf countries and Malaysia.
Aims and Objectives: This study aims to (a) explore the magnitude of the kidney health-related problems in returnee Nepali migrant workers; and, (b) assess the need for further scientific investigations.
Materials and Methods: This was a self-administered survey of…
Read more
Kidney health risk of migrant workers: An issue we can no longer overlook
Author/s: Nirmal Aryal, Pramod R. Regmi, Arun Sedhain, Radheshyam Krishna KC, Erwin Martinez Faller, Aney Rijal, Edwin van Teijlingen
The burden of kidney disease-related morbidity and mortality in the general population is rising. Recent data suggest that 1.2 million people worldwide lost their lives from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in 2017. The global prevalence of CKD was estimated between 11% to 13%, according to a 2016 review. There exists a specific population group of low-skilled migrant workers in the countries of the Gulf and Malaysia, who could be at a disproportionately higher risk of kidney health problems.…
Read more
Is being a 'left-behind' child associated with an increased risk of self-poisoning in adulthood? Findings from a case–control study in Sri Lanka
Author/s: Duleeka Knipe, Paul Moran, Laura D Howe, Piumee Bandara, Kolitha Wickramage, David Gunnell, Thilini Rajapakse
Abstract
Purpose The long-term consequences of parental emigration on offspring self-harm risk is unknown.
Methods We investigated the association between experiencing parental emigration in childhood with hospital presentations for self-poisoning in adulthood using a hospital case–control study. Cases were adult self-poisoning patients (≥18-year-olds) admitted to the medical toxicology ward Teaching Hospital…
Read more
Reaching out to migrant households during COVID-19 outbreak: the increasing need of social workers in Cambodia
Author/s: Thida Kim, Yao Fu, Sokunnara Thlen, Amaury Peeters, Kolitha Wickramage, Lucy P. Jordan
Cambodia, a lower-middle-income country in Southeast Asia, reported 275 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Despite lower reported cases, COVID-19 impacts Cambodian socio-economic systems in profound ways. With more than 1.1 million Cambodians having migrated abroad and low-income families in rural Cambodia relying heavily on remittances, the sudden loss of jobs caused by the pandemic raised an important question on how migrant households are prioritized among the rising society-wide needs. Given…
Read more
Health profile of pediatric Special Immigrant Visa holders arriving from Iraq and Afghanistan to the United States, 2009–2017: A cross-sectional analysis
Author/s: Simone S. Wien, Gayathri S. Kumar, Oleg O. Bilukha, Walid Slim, Heather M. Burke, Emily S. Jentes
Abstract
Background
The United States has admitted over 80,000 Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVH), which include children. Despite the increase in the proportion of SIVH admissions to the US over recent years, little is known about health conditions in SIV children. We report the frequency of selected diseases identified overseas and assess differences in selected conditions between SIV children from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Methods and…
Read more
Accessing health services in India: experiences of seasonal migrants returning to Nepal
Author/s: Pratik Adhikary, Nirmal Aryal, Raja Ram Dhungana, Radheyshyam Krishna KC, Pramod Raj Regmi, Kolitha Prabhash Wickramage, Patrick Duigan, Montira Inkochasan, Guna Nidhi Sharma, Bikash Devkota, Edwin van Teijlingen, Padam Simkhada
Background
Migration to India is a common livelihood strategy for poor people in remote Western Nepal. To date, little research has explored the degree and nature of healthcare access among Nepali migrant workers in India. This study explores the experiences of returnee Nepali migrants with regard to accessing healthcare and the perspectives of stakeholders in the government, support organizations, and health providers working with migrant workers in India.
Methods…
Read more
Migration health research and policy in south and south-east Asia: mapping the gaps and advancing a collaborative agenda
Author/s: Anuj Kapilashrami, Kolitha Wickramage, Nima Asgari-Jirhandeh, Anns Issac, Anjali Borharde, Ganesh Gurung, Jeevan R Sharma
Migrant health has been the subject of various international agreements in recent years. In parallel, there has been a growth in academic research in this area. However, this increase in focus at the international level has not necessarily strengthened the capacity to drive evidence-informed national policy and action in many low- and middle-income countries. The Migration Health South Asia (MiHSA) network aims to challenge some of the barriers to progress in the region. Examples include the…
Read more