Perspectives of Turkish family physicians towards refugee patients and primary health care: A qualitative study

Objectives: The increasing number of refugees in various regions of our country has led to socio-economic issues and challenges in the healthcare system. This study aims to investigate family physicians' perspectives in Turkey regarding refugees' social lives and healthcare services. Desig...

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Main Authors: Canan Tuz, Beyza Nur Abdulkader, İlknur Gültekin, Kübra Nur Selçuk, Züleyha Alper
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-11-01
Series:Heliyon
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024164080
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author Canan Tuz
Beyza Nur Abdulkader
İlknur Gültekin
Kübra Nur Selçuk
Züleyha Alper
author_facet Canan Tuz
Beyza Nur Abdulkader
İlknur Gültekin
Kübra Nur Selçuk
Züleyha Alper
author_sort Canan Tuz
collection DOAJ
description Objectives: The increasing number of refugees in various regions of our country has led to socio-economic issues and challenges in the healthcare system. This study aims to investigate family physicians' perspectives in Turkey regarding refugees' social lives and healthcare services. Design: This is a qualitative cross-sectional study using phenomenological research design. The study was carried out with family physicians in health care centers. Three online focus group interviews were conducted to collect the data. The interviews proceeded with semistructured questions about their perceptions of refugee health and their challenges while working with refugee patients. The research data were descriptively presented and supported by quotes obtained from interviews with the participants. Results: A total of 24 family physicians were reached through three online sessions for data collection. Of the 24 participating family physicians, 10 were men and 14 were women. On average, the physicians had eight years of medical experience, and the average number of registered immigrant populations in the family health units was around 100 patients. After consulting the domain experts, a final determination of 4 different themes was made. These themes were identified as follows: experience, emotions, and thoughts; encountered challenges, and proposed solutions. Conclusions: Family physicians face difficulties adapting to healthcare systems and face challenges in scheduling appointments and accessing advanced medical investigations when seeking hospital services.
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issn 2405-8440
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher Elsevier
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series Heliyon
spelling doaj-art-1055823ef4af4bdbba1653fdc9fe295d2025-08-20T02:48:58ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402024-11-011022e4037710.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e40377Perspectives of Turkish family physicians towards refugee patients and primary health care: A qualitative studyCanan Tuz0Beyza Nur Abdulkader1İlknur Gültekin2Kübra Nur Selçuk3Züleyha Alper4Bursa Uludag University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, Turkey; Corresponding author.Bursa Uludag University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, TurkeyBursa Uludag University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, TurkeyBursa Uludag University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, TurkeyBursa Uludag University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Education, TurkeyObjectives: The increasing number of refugees in various regions of our country has led to socio-economic issues and challenges in the healthcare system. This study aims to investigate family physicians' perspectives in Turkey regarding refugees' social lives and healthcare services. Design: This is a qualitative cross-sectional study using phenomenological research design. The study was carried out with family physicians in health care centers. Three online focus group interviews were conducted to collect the data. The interviews proceeded with semistructured questions about their perceptions of refugee health and their challenges while working with refugee patients. The research data were descriptively presented and supported by quotes obtained from interviews with the participants. Results: A total of 24 family physicians were reached through three online sessions for data collection. Of the 24 participating family physicians, 10 were men and 14 were women. On average, the physicians had eight years of medical experience, and the average number of registered immigrant populations in the family health units was around 100 patients. After consulting the domain experts, a final determination of 4 different themes was made. These themes were identified as follows: experience, emotions, and thoughts; encountered challenges, and proposed solutions. Conclusions: Family physicians face difficulties adapting to healthcare systems and face challenges in scheduling appointments and accessing advanced medical investigations when seeking hospital services.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024164080Family physiciansRefugeesPrimary health careQualitative researchPerspective
spellingShingle Canan Tuz
Beyza Nur Abdulkader
İlknur Gültekin
Kübra Nur Selçuk
Züleyha Alper
Perspectives of Turkish family physicians towards refugee patients and primary health care: A qualitative study
Heliyon
Family physicians
Refugees
Primary health care
Qualitative research
Perspective
title Perspectives of Turkish family physicians towards refugee patients and primary health care: A qualitative study
title_full Perspectives of Turkish family physicians towards refugee patients and primary health care: A qualitative study
title_fullStr Perspectives of Turkish family physicians towards refugee patients and primary health care: A qualitative study
title_full_unstemmed Perspectives of Turkish family physicians towards refugee patients and primary health care: A qualitative study
title_short Perspectives of Turkish family physicians towards refugee patients and primary health care: A qualitative study
title_sort perspectives of turkish family physicians towards refugee patients and primary health care a qualitative study
topic Family physicians
Refugees
Primary health care
Qualitative research
Perspective
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024164080
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