Breastfeeding practices among Syrian refugees in Turkey
Siddika Songul Yalçin1, Meryem Erat Nergiz2, Ömur Cinar Elci3
1Unit of Social Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. siyalcin@hacettepe.edu.tr.
International Breastfeeding Journal
|February 15, 2022
Summary
Syrian refugee breastfeeding practices are influenced by cultural beliefs and migration, necessitating culturally sensitive counseling programs. Healthcare workers require more training to support infant nutrition effectively.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Maternal and Child Health
Background:
- Investigating infant nutrition and breastfeeding practices among Syrian refugees in Turkey.
- Assessing the perspectives of healthcare workers and refugee family members on breastfeeding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To understand the factors affecting age-appropriate breastfeeding in the Syrian refugee community.
- To identify cultural, migration, and pandemic-related influences on infant nutrition.
- To gather recommendations for improving breastfeeding practices.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study using structured focus group discussions (FGDs) with 335 participants.
- FGDs included Turkish and Syrian healthcare workers, and Syrian women and family members across four Turkish provinces.
- Thematic analysis of transcripts was conducted using MAXQDA 11.
Main Results:
- Syrian healthcare workers often lack breastfeeding counseling training.
- Breastfeeding duration is shortened by cultural factors (e.g., beliefs about maternal health, adolescent marriage, prelacteal feeding) and migration.
- Migration exacerbates adolescent pregnancies, poverty, and reduces social support; no pandemic impact on breastfeeding was observed.
Conclusions:
- Breastfeeding support programs must integrate cultural understanding of Syrian healthcare workers and families.
- Health education should address adolescent marriage prevention and promote socially appropriate interventions.
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