Prevalence of chronic conditions in Syrian refugees to Ottawa

Prevalence of Hepatitis C Among Migrants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The World Health Organisation has targeted the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) to be eliminated as a public health threat by 2030. Equitable access to HCV testing and treatment services is important in achieving this goal. Migrants often face barriers to accessing health services, and understanding HCV prevalence among this population can support planning for elimination. This systematic review aimed to estimate HCV prevalence among migrants residing in high-income countries with low/intermediate HCV prevalence. Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library were searched for peer-reviewed articles published in English between 2015 and 2024. The studies' quality was assessed using The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Tools. A proportional meta-analysis was used to estimate HCV prevalence. Thirty-seven studies were included in this review. Seventeen studies included both people < 18 and ≥ 18 years old, 16 studies only included people ≥ 18 years old, and three studies included people aged 18 and younger. The pooled prevalence of HCV antibody (anti-HCV) and RNA (HCV-RNA) were 1.5% (95% CI, 1.1%-2.0%) and 0.6% (95% CI, 0.4%-0.9%), respectively. The prevalence of anti-HCV was higher among males (1.9%) than females (0.6%). Among refugees and asylum seekers, the prevalence of anti-HCV and HCV-RNA were 1.4% and 0.7%, respectively. The prevalence of HCV among migrants is comparable with that among the general population of the destination countries. Given the barriers migrants, especially refugees and asylum seekers, face in accessing health services, their access to HCV information, testing and treatment should be facilitated.

Prevalence and characteristics of smoking cigarette and narghile among Syrian refugee parents in Ontario, Canada

This study aimed to explore the prevalence and associated sociodemographic, migration, and health-related factors of smoking cigarettes and narghile among Syrian refugee parents resettled in Ontario, Canada since 2015. A total of 540 Syrian refugee parents, with at least one child less than 18 years of age, were interviewed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the independent relationship between each of the associated sociodemographic, migration, and health-related factors and smoking cigarettes and narghile. The overall prevalence of smoking was 43% (cigarette = 22%, narghile = 25.6%). The average number of cigarettes smoked per day was 15.4 (SD = 10.1). With regard to smoking narghile, 18.2% of the sample smoked daily, while 35.5% and 52.9% smoked at least once weekly and occasionally, respectively. Results from multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that more fathers were at increased odds of smoking cigarettes than mothers OR (95% CI) = 6.6 (3.7-11.9), while no such difference was found for narghile smokers OR (95% CI) = 1.5 (0.9-2.6). Results showed that smoking cigarettes was associated with lower education levels and being Muslim, whereas smoking narghile was associated with younger age and alcohol use. Poor perceived mental health was significant/approached significance for both types of smoking. Greater understanding of smoking patterns of resettled refugees is needed to direct healthcare providers to offer targeted interventions for those who are most at risk.

Nurses' Experiences as Care Providers for Syrian Refugees With Noncommunicable Diseases: A Qualitative Study

INTRODUCTION

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of disability and death in the world. In Syria, the incidence of NCDs in refugees is 45%. Cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and other NCDs are the most common causes of morbidity in Syria. Nurses have challenges caring for Syrian refugees with NCDs. The purpose of the study was to explore nurses' experiences of caring for Syrian refugees with NCDs in Turkey.

METHODOLOGY

A phenomenology design was used. Inclusion criteria were nurses working experience of more than 1 year, caring for Syrian refugees with NCDs, and willingness and ability to participate in an individual interview. The participants were 20 nurses who worked with Syrian refugees at a public hospital in Kilis Province the border with Syria. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analyzed by the thematic analysis method of Braun and Clarke.

RESULTS

Three major themes and six subthemes were identified. Major themes included the communication experience, cultural differences, and Syrian refugees' lack of knowledge about NCDs.

DISCUSSION

The results provide insight related to nursing care in Turkey for Syrian refugees with NCDs. The study revealed that nurses encountered challenges when caring for Syrian refugees with NCDs. Culturally competent assessment and interventions for refugees with NCDs should be encouraged considering these three themes.