Crossing Borders, Crossing Traumas: Pre-Migration Stressors and PTSD Among Venezuelan Migrants in Colombia and the US

Background and Purpose: In recent years, Venezuelans' emigration from their once prosperous country has emerged as the largest and, arguably, the most important movement of people in the Western Hemisphere. It is generally understood—based on humanitarian surveillance—that widespread hunger and government repression are important challenges for many Venezuelans and function as vital impetus for out-migration. Important questions persist regarding the characteristics of Venezuelans resettling in other South American nations and those who have resettled in the United States (US), and it seems likely that those who moved to nearby Colombia (typically using ground transportation) may be distinct from those who moved to the US (initially through air travel, but—increasingly—by land route). The present study examines the characteristics of Venezuelan migrants in Columbia and the US in terms of pre-migration exposure to hunger and government repression and the relationship between these pre-migration stressors and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Method: Using the Qualtrics survey platform, survey data were collected in 2023 and 2024 with Venezuelan migrant adults ages 18 and older in Colombia (N = 568) and the United States (N = 673). Participants were recruited using a referral system in which initial seed participants are referred through community partners, and participants refer others to the study in exchange for additional compensation. Participants provided information about self-reported hunger and government repression while living in Venezuela and completed the Short Screening Scale for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (α = .81; Breslau et al., 1999). This seven-item scale, with responses of yes or no, assesses symptoms of PTSD related to diagnostic criteria domains, including avoidance/numbing and arousal related to traumatic events.

Results: Important differences were identified between Venezuelan migrants who resettled in Colombia and those who resettled in the US. We found that rates of pre-migration hunger were far higher among participants in the Colombia sample (89% reported premigration hunger versus 58% in the US), although the differences decreased over time. In contrast, rates of pre-migration government repression were much higher among Venezuelans who resettled in the US than among those who resettled in Colombia. Levels of PTSD were similar among Venezuelans in both countries, and self-reported hunger and government repression were both related to the likelihood of a PTSD-positive screen—even controlling for post-migration hardship.

Conclusion and Implications: The characteristics of Venezuelans relocating to Colombia and the US are quite distinct, with government repression reported at far higher rates by those who relocated to the US and hunger representing a substantially greater challenge among those in Colombia—although pre-migration hunger is reported with increasing frequency since 2021. This points to the importance of continued monitoring as the situation continues to involved and it underscores the importance of developing evidence-informed efforts tailored to the needs of Venezuelan and other crisis migrants in particular contexts as it is not safe to assume that all migrants of a particular country present with the same experiences and challenges.