Health problems among UN refugees at a family medical centre in Ankara, Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
Political lability in the Near East has brought about the migration of refugees from adjacent countries to Turkey in recent years. To provide an effective health service for refugees, a needs assessment has to be done. UN refugees referring to a family medical centre located in Ankara, Turkey, were therefore investigated for health problems.


METHODS
Medical records were studied retrospectively for age distribution, gender, origin, diagnoses, type of treatment and referral to a secondary health care setting.


METHODS
212 refugees of different countries (mostly from Iraq, Iran and Palestine).


RESULTS
Infectious disease was the most often diagnosed condition. Post-traumatic stress disorders could be observed in 12% of refugees.


CONCLUSIONS
The family physician must be careful not to misdiagnose these disorders during medical examination. Most disease can be diagnosed and treated in family practice. Special care must be taken in the case of mental disorders.
Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey. hyaman@sdu.edu.tr
Hakan
H
Yaman
Altuğ
A
Kut
Aylin
A
Yaman
Mehmet
M
Ungan
D000328:Adult; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014480:United Nations