“My food is the leftover”
Experiences of Filipino migrant domestic workers in Taiwan and non-communicable disease risks
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19480239 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yu-Hsiang Wu (University of Connecticut, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-20 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-12 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Migration Health and Social Care (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2042-8650 • E-ISSN: 1747-9894 |
| Publisher | Emerald (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1108/ijmhsc-08-2025-0109 |
| OpenAlex | W7164183443 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 58 |
Purpose This study aims to investigate how living and working conditions, family obligations and religious beliefs and structural barriers to health-care access affect health-related experiences among Filipino migrant domestic workers (MDWs) in Taiwan. It contends that these factors could contribute to negative health outcomes among the population, including non-communicable diseases. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative methods were used for this study to understand in depth the experiences of the participants. Participant recruitment was done through snowball sampling. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted from June to August 2023, in Taiwan, with a total of ten Filipino MDWs, two Taiwanese migrant labor NGO staff and a Taiwanese physician. The research protocol was approved by the Brandeis University Institutional Review Board. Findings Participants described shared experiences of sleep deprivation, food insecurity and heightened mental stress because of their working and living conditions. Family obligations and religious faith also informed health care-seeking decisions culturally. There are financial, linguistic and geographical barriers to health-care access in Taiwan, whereas some participants received threats of contract termination and deportation from private labor brokers. This study recognizes employers as a key stakeholder of MDWs’ health, as they dictate working and living conditions surrounding domestic work, hold power leverage over labor brokers and possess relative financial capability and familiarity with the Taiwanese health-care system that could help the workers overcome health-related challenges. Originality/value This study helps fill the empirical gap in the literature on migrant workers’ health in the Taiwanese context
Deportation · Domestic violence · Faith · Mental health · Participant observation · Participatory action research · Qualitative research · Snowball sampling · Employment and Welfare Studies · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Migration, Health and Trauma
Social Determinants of Health
Immigration as a Social Determinant of Health
Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption
“Leaving it to God” Religion and Spirituality among Filipina Immigrant Breast Cancer Survivors
The social determinants of migrant domestic worker (MDW) health and well-being in the Western Pacific Region
Globalization and the health and well-being of migrant domestic workers in Malaysia
Securing the rights and health of domestic workers
Women migrant workers’ vulnerability to HIV infection in Hong Kong
Finding the silver linings in the Covid-19 pandemic
Exclusion or Inclusion
Health Service Access among Indonesian Migrant Domestic Workers in Taiwan
Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Depressive Symptoms among Indonesian Migrant Workers in Taiwan
Employment conditions and mental health of overseas female migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong
Work life, relationship, and policy determinants of health and well-being among Filipino domestic Workers in China
Of and beyond medical consequences”
Capital and mobility in the stepwise international migrations of Filipino migrant domestic workers
Infection, temporality and inequality
Political and Social Geography of Marginal Insiders
Stress factors and mental health adjustment of Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong
Navigating migration and cancer in Asia
Barriers and facilitators to pap-testing among female overseas Filipino workers
Life Course Health Development
Taiwan's policy towards foreign workers
Biopower, governmentality and the making of health inequities of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong
Am I allowed to be pregnant? Awareness of pregnancy protection laws among migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong
How Many Interviews Are Enough
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |