Barriers To Accessing Mental Health Services Among Syrian Refugees: A Mixed-Method Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Mental Health Research
• Sociology

Background:

• Syrian refugees face high rates of mental health issues due to war trauma.
• Understanding their need for and access to mental health services is critical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the perceived need for mental health services among Syrian refugees in Ankara.
• To determine the actual contact with mental health services.
• To identify barriers to accessing these services.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional mixed-method study involving 420 Syrian refugees in Ankara.
• Face-to-face interviews conducted by trained, Arabic-speaking interviewers.
• Assessment of PTSD and depression using standardized questionnaires.

Main Results:

• Only 14.8% of refugees felt the need for mental healthcare; actual service contact was 1.4%.
• Key barriers included language problems, lack of information, low awareness, and daily living difficulties.
• Medical or mental disorders and female gender predicted the perceived need for services.

Conclusions:

• A significant treatment gap exists between the mental health needs of Syrian refugees and their service utilization.
• Addressing barriers like language and awareness is essential for improving mental healthcare access.
• Policy and service provider interventions are needed to support refugee mental well-being.