Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Displacement, for whatever reason, is an urgent situation that affects both the migrant and the migratory society in a holistic manner, and that especially hurts Middle Eastern societies. Studies show that health problems experienced as a result of immigration are important in terms of cost reduction and quality of life. This study aimed to investigate chest diseases (CD) among refugees living in a tent camp and Turkish citizens living in the district Şanlıurfa Ceylanpınar which is located in the South East of the Turkey.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective registry-scan type study was performed between January 2015 and December 2015. The extent of this study is the citizens of Turkish Republic and refugees who applied to Şanlıurfa Ceylanpınar State Hospital CD Policlinic and Annex Building CD Policlinic and Emergency Polyclinic. The study has been divided into two groups as Refugees and Turkish citizens, the data of patients who were referred to the Chest Diseases Policlinic and Emergency Polyclinic for chest complaints were recorded. The diagnoses of chest diseases in both groups were compared. Patients who presented with a chest complaint but did not have any diagnosis were sent for further psychiatric evaluation with regard to anxiety. Tuberculosis, which is an important public health problem, was also studied in detail.

RESULTS: In total; 455,882patients were admitted to the Şanlıurfa Ceylanpınar State Hospital center and Annex Building Chest Diseases Policlinic and Emergency Polyclinic with chest complaints. Pneumonia, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were found to occur more frequently in refugees from the tent camp than in Turkish citizens. Anxiety was higher among Turkish Citizens in patients who had a chest complaint but did not receive any diagnosis.

CONCLUSION: Refugees living in tent camps and Turkish citizens living in the same area were found to have similar results in terms of respiratory diseases, including tuberculosis. Physiological and psychological effects of war were expected to be high in refugees because they were affected by immigration; however, they were no different than the physiological and psychological effects noted in local people. These data suggest that the local people as well as current immigrants may be psychologically affected.
 

Cite this article as: Kurtuluş Ş, Sak ZHA, Can R. Chest Diseases in Refugees Living in a Tent Camp and in Turkish Citizens Living in the District: Ceylanpınar Experience. Turk Thorac J 2018; 19(3): 117-21.