Comparative Evaluation of Health Status of Syrian Refugee and Tur CCH_70042 kish Children, Alongside the Factors Influencing Sociocultural Adaptation of Syrian Children in Türkiye

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study encompasses two distinct facets. First, it aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the comparative assessment of psychosocial wellbeing and oral health status among Syrian and Turkish children in Türkiye. Secondly, it aims to elucidate the factors that play a role in shaping the sociocultural adaptation of Syrian children.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey assessing self-esteem, social anxiety and resilience and clinical examination were conducted on a convenience sample of Syrian refugee and Turkish children. The sample consisted of 396 participants (55.7% male and 44.3% female), including 173 Syrian individuals (43.7%) with a mean age of 14.12 years (SD = 2.24), and 223 Turkish individuals (56.3%) with a mean age of 12.44 years (SD = 2.47). Sociocultural adaptation and perceived discrimination scales were also taken by refugee children.

Results: Overall, psychosocial wellbeing, academic success and oral health outcomes of refugee participants were lower than those of the Turkish general population. Specifically, independent samples t-test revealed that Syrian refugee children exhibited higher levels of social anxiety (t(384) = 3.138, p < 0.005), higher resilience (t(384) = 3.866, p < 0.001), lower self-esteem (t(389) = 4.614, p < 0.001) and poorer academic performance (t(370.981) = -8.441, p < 0.001) compared to Turkish children. In terms of oral health, Syrian children exhibited significantly higher levels of dental health problems, including DMFT (t(394) = 4.203, p < 0.001), DMFS (t(394) = 4.858, p < 0.001) and PPD (t(394) = 15.09, p < 0.001) than their Turkish counterparts. A one-way ANOVA showed that socio-economic status was an important factor in psychosocial and oral health outcomes, except for psychological resilience (F(2,378) = 0.029, p = 0.971). Children from low socioeconomic backgrounds showed higher levels of social anxiety (F (2,376) = 10.704, p = 0.00), lower academic performance (F(2,365) = 33.119, p = 0.00) and poorer oral health outcomes including DMFT (F(2,381) = 7.230, p = 0.001), DMFS (F(2,381) = 4.983, p = 0.007) and PPD (F(2,381) = 22.463, p = 0.00). Pearson correlation analyses indicated that sociocultural adaptation of refugees was positively associated with their resilience (r = 0.45, p < 0.01), and negatively associated with perceived discrimination (r = -0.34, p < 0.01).

Conclusion: The findings underscore the need for integrated healthcare interventions that address the multifaceted health needs of vulnerable populations in diverse societies.

Keywords: Syrian children; periodental health; psychosocial health.