In this section, we review individual risks and protective factors that affect vulnerable migrants and influence their experience of migration.
Factors at this level are related to individuals: their status in society; their physical and biological characteristics; their histories and experiences; their beliefs and attitudes; their emotional, psychological, and cognitive characteristics; and their physical and mental health and wellbeing. Individual characteristics are a central element in assessing vulnerability and capability, as they shape how individuals respond to household/family, community and structural contexts.
Some examples of individual factors are age, sex, racial or ethnic identities, sexual orientation, gender identity, personal histories, mental and emotional health, and access to resources such as money, goods, or support.
Some of these factors might be risk factors or protective factors, depending on the context. For example, membership in a particular racialized group may be a protective factor, if that group is dominant or privileged in society. However, in a different context, where that group is marginalized or oppressed, it would be a risk factor. Other individual factors may be broadly considered to always be risk factors or protective factors. For example, literacy is almost always a protective factor, whereas illiteracy is almost always a risk factor.
At the individual level, factors such as age and sex have an impact on the needs of vulnerable migrants. For instance, children may require vaccinations according to an age-based schedule, or older persons may have deteriorating vision or hearing. Also, in terms of health needs, at the individual level there may be pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes or asthma, as well as mental disorders that may require diagnosis or treatment.