Healthcare Barriers and Policy Implications for Non-Syrian Refugees Under International Protection in Türkiye

Aygüler E., BUZ S., SELÇUK O.

Journal of Social Service Research, 2024 (SSCI) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2024
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/01488376.2024.2393405
  • Dergi Adı: Journal of Social Service Research
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, ASSIA, IBZ Online, Periodicals Index Online, Abstracts in Social Gerontology, Psycinfo, Public Affairs Index, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: health services, Non-Syrian refugees, qualitative research, refugees and access to healthcare, refugees and health, refugees in Türkiye
  • Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Türkiye hosts the largest number of refugees in the world, but research has mainly focused on Syrian refugees. This study fills this gap by exploring the experiences of non-Syrian refugees in accessing health services in Türkiye challenges they face. Using a qualitative methodology, 32 participants were selected, and data was collected through in-depth interviews. The analysis revealed three main themes: "health conditions of refugees," "difficulties in accessing health services" and "Professionals’ recommendations". The findings indicate that non-Syrian refugees face significant obstacles, including legal restrictions, financial constraints, language barriers, lack of knowledge of rights and discriminatory attitudes on the part of some health professionals. Access to mental health treatment was particularly difficult for non-Syrian refugees. This study has significant implications for policy makers and healthcare providers and identifies critical areas for intervention to improve access to essential healthcare services.