Examining the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Iraqi Refugees in Canada

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health and social inequities among migrant groups more than others. Higher rates of poverty, unemployment, living in crowded households, and language barriers have placed resettled refugees at a higher risk of facing disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic. To understand how this most vulnerable population has been impacted by the ongoing pandemic, this study reports on the responses of 128 Iraqi refugees in the city of London, Ontario, to a survey on the economic, social, and health-related impacts that they have faced for almost two years since the beginning the pandemic. The analysis of the survey indicated that 90.4% of the study population reported having health concerns during the pandemic while 80.3% expressed facing financial distress. The results also show that 58.4% of respondents experienced some form of social isolation. These all suggest that refugees are faced with several barriers which can have a compounding effect on their resettlement experience. These findings provide resettlement and healthcare providers with some information that may assist in reducing the impact of COVID-19 and other possible health security emergencies on resettled refugees and their communities.