Social and Structural Determinants of Chronic Pain Among Migrant Workers: A Scoping Review Using an Intersectionality Framework.
6 affiliations
- 1Centre de Recherche Savoirs Partagés, Axe Recherche Sociale et Santé Publique, Santé Québec Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal Universitaire, Montreal, Canada.
- 2School of Social Work, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
- 3Department of Anthropology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
- 4Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
- 5Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
- 6Faculty of Nursing, Université Laval, Quebec, Canada.
Abstract
Background
Due to structural inequities, many migrant workers face adverse health outcomes potentially exposing them to long-term pain issues. However, the extent of current knowledge on chronic pain (>3 months) in this population is unclear. As labor migration policies evolve toward less protective measures, it is essential to gain insights into the experiences and drivers of chronic pain among migrant workers.Aims
Drawing on the theoretical framework of intersectionality, this scoping review aimed to synthesize existing knowledge on chronic pain among migrant workers in Canada and the United States. More precisely, we examined evidence related to epidemiology, treatments, lived experiences, and the role of social and structural determinants.Methods
This review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews. A search of four databases was followed by a screening and extraction procedure involving four researchers. Relevant findings were reported through quantified and narrative syntheses.Results
This scoping review highlights a major gap in understanding pain chronicity among migrant workers. Nine studies met the eligibility criteria. Most studies have focused on occupational health outcomes. Definitions of chronic pain are inconsistent. Only one qualitative study examined migrant workers' pain trajectories beyond workplace settings. Social and structural determinants were underscored in all studies, including poor working conditions, socioeconomic precarity, unfavorable labor market structure, restrictive immigration policies, racism and discrimination, and gendered inequities.Conclusions
This review invites researchers and policymakers to move beyond occupational health approaches to fully appraise and tackle the intersecting structural and political drivers exposing migrant workers to lifelong experiences of chronic pain.
Related
- Knowledge, attitudes and care-seeking behaviours related to chronic disease management among migrant workers in Singapore: a cross-sectional study
- Social determinants of access to reproductive health services among Afghan migrant women in Iran: A qualitative study
- Assets and health across the lifecourse: a framework for supporting migrant populations.
- N.7. Round Table: People on the Move: From Structural to Individual Perspectives in Migrant Mental Health Research
- From Structural Blindness to Structural Perception: Theorizing LUMEN, a Multisensory Pedagogy for the Structural Determinants of Health in Nursing Education.
BibTeX
@article{dassieu2026social,
title = {{Social and Structural Determinants of Chronic Pain Among Migrant Workers: A Scoping Review Using an Intersectionality Framework.}},
author = {Lise Dassieu and Jacqueline Schneider and Manon Choinière and Nataly Espinoza-Suarez},
journal = {Canadian journal of pain = Revue canadienne de la douleur},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1080/24740527.2026.2724501},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898884},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Social and Structural Determinants of Chronic Pain Among Migrant Workers: A Scoping Review Using an Intersectionality Framework.
AU - Lise Dassieu
AU - Jacqueline Schneider
AU - Manon Choinière
AU - Nataly Espinoza-Suarez
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/15
JO - Canadian journal of pain = Revue canadienne de la douleur
DO - 10.1080/24740527.2026.2724501
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898884
AB - Background Due to structural inequities, many migrant workers face adverse health outcomes potentially exposing them to long-term pain issues. However, the extent of current knowledge on chronic pain (>3 months) in this population is unclear. As labor migration policies evolve toward less protective measures, it is essential to gain insights into the experiences and drivers of chronic pain among migrant workers.Aims Drawing on the theoretical framework of intersectionality, this scoping review aimed to synthesize existing knowledge on chronic pain among migrant workers in Canada and the United States. More precisely, we examined evidence related to epidemiology, treatments, lived experiences, and the role of social and structural determinants.Methods This review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews. A search of four databases was followed by a screening and extraction procedure involving four researchers. Relevant findings were reported through quantified and narrative syntheses.Results This scoping review highlights a major gap in understanding pain chronicity among migrant workers. Nine studies met the eligibility criteria. Most studies have focused on occupational health outcomes. Definitions of chronic pain are inconsistent. Only one qualitative study examined migrant workers' pain trajectories beyond workplace settings. Social and structural determinants were underscored in all studies, including poor working conditions, socioeconomic precarity, unfavorable labor market structure, restrictive immigration policies, racism and discrimination, and gendered inequities.Conclusions This review invites researchers and policymakers to move beyond occupational health approaches to fully appraise and tackle the intersecting structural and political drivers exposing migrant workers to lifelong experiences of chronic pain.
SN - 2474-0527
ER -