Job Market and Healthcare Access Drive Discrimination Feelings Among Ukrainian Refugees

A new study looked at how Ukrainian refugees feel about discrimination in eight European countries. Researchers used survey data from 2022 collected by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights. They analyzed answers from over 7,000 adults. The results showed something surprising. Where people live and work matters more than their personal background.

Being a woman made discrimination feelings more likely. So did belonging to a minority group. Economic hardship also played a role. But these personal factors had smaller effects. The odds ratios were around 1.5 to 1.7. That means they increase the chance but not by a huge amount.

The biggest drivers were structural. Problems with the job market had an odds ratio of 4.19. Perceived unfairness in healthcare had an odds ratio of 3.41. These numbers are much higher. They suggest that systems and institutions shape experiences more than identity does.

Countries differed a lot in the results. Some places have stronger safety nets. Others have better integration policies. Institutional practices vary widely. These differences likely explain why refugees in some nations report more discrimination than others.

The data comes from the FRA survey and is stored at the GESIS Data Archive under study number ZA7967. Analysis code is available from the lead researcher upon request.