The journal “SSM - Qualitative Research in Health” published a study by Molenaar and colleagues that explored the mental health needs of migrants and the responses of community-based organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Antwerp, Belgium.

The qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with 19 first-generation migrants and 13 professionals from the local psycho-social care sector. It examined how community-level initiatives helped mitigate the pandemic's mental health impacts, focusing on the areas of Borgerhout and Antwerpen-Noord. The research highlighted the essential role of local services and organizations in providing culturally sensitive and flexible mental health support, which addressed diverse needs and filled gaps left by other services. Despite these positive findings, the study also identified significant challenges, such as physical accessibility, service overload, and fragmentation within the care system. The conclusion emphasized the need for enhancing culturally sensitive approaches, improving collaborations among service providers, and prioritizing physical accessibility to better serve migrant communities in future crises.

The full article is available via https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667321524000118