Pandemic and immigration: haitian families in facing COVID-19 in Brazil

Objective  to understand the experience of coping and repercussions of COVID-19 from the perspective of Haitian immigrant families in Brazil.

Method  qualitative, action-participant study, based on Paulo Freire's Research Itinerary, which has three phases: Thematic Research; Encoding and Decoding; Critical Unveiling. A Virtual Culture Circle was held in May 2020, with 10 families of Haitian immigrants residing in western Santa Catarina.

Results  the participants discussed concerns generated in facing the pandemic: work and family subsistence in Brazil and Haiti; uncertainty of the future; risk of contamination and dying in Brazil; cancellation of children's classes; discouragement and loneliness. They revealed opportunities in experiencing the pandemic: help received; personal and family strength; rethinking life; trust in God and hope.

Conclusions and implications for practice  Haitian immigrants are in a situation of social, economic and mental health vulnerability when facing COVID-19. The identification of this vulnerability considering social, economic and cultural factors is fundamental to the proposition of public policies and the adoption of effective strategies to face the situation. The Virtual Culture Circle expands possibilities for nursing, as it enables the interactions necessary for health promotion, even in the face of the pandemic.

Keywords:
Emigration and Immigration; Social Determinants of Health; Pandemics; COVID-19; Public Health Nursing