Determinants of Protective Healthcare Services Awareness among Female Syrian Refugees in Turkey

Abstract

War-related migration may deprive people of access to a regular healthcare system and cause new diseases to be battled. Since refugee women are more vulnerable to diseases during this period, protective healthcare services awareness is critical for early disease diagnosis. Following the civil war that triggered the migration of millions of Syrians, an extensive survey was undertaken in coordination with the World Health Organization Country Office in Turkey to explore the health status of Syrian refugees in Turkey. Employing the survey data, we aimed to investigate the determinants of the awareness of protective health services (Pap smear test, mammogram, HIV test) among female Syrian refugees. Logit regression analysis was applied in order to investigate the determinants of the awareness of protective health services among the female refugee population. The results revealed a notably low rate of awareness of protective health services among female Syrian refugees. Furthermore, the association of explanatory variables, including socioeconomic factors, healthcare use, and health literacy with the protective health services awareness, was found to be significant.

Sexual health challenges in migrant, immigrant, and displaced populations 2022–2023

“…Low motivation, lack of knowledge about testing and competing patient health priorities were cited as some of the reasons why health professionals are often unable to motivate migrant people in the EU/EEA to be screened for HBV/HCV [41]. Similar conclusions were reached by studies of Syrian migrants in high-and middle-income settings (Sweden and Turkey), where awareness and utilisation of protective sexual health services and STI/HIV-testing was notably low and appeared to be motivated by sexual exposure risk awareness [42–44].…”

“…Little recent research has focused on STI symptom knowledge, except for a 2023 review of the barriers and facilitators for HBV and HCV screening among migrant people in the EU/EEA region [44]. Knowledge of transmission and health risks of hepatitis was shown to be low in comparison to HIV.…”

Vaccine Uptake and COVID-19 Frequency in Pregnant Syrian Immigrant Women

“…It was carried out on the vaccination data of pregnant women who applied to a primary health care institution. However, about one-third of Syrian women do not use health services according to the literature [ 50 ]. The percentages of vaccine uptake may probably be lower in pregnant women who do not apply to a health institution.…”