Evaluation of Child Refugees’ Reasons for Applying to Hospital: Ankara Experience

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the diagnosis characteristics of the refugees who applied to pediatric emergency and pediatric outpatient policlinics of a major hospital in Ankara. Materials and Methods: Files of patients admitted to the pediatric emergency and pediatric outpatient polyclinics between January and December of 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: There were 12,385 refugee applications to the pediatric emergency polyclinic during this period. The number of refugee applications to the outpatient pediatrics polyclinic was 8,341. The distribution of the nationality of the refugee children who applied to the emergency polyclinic was 46.2% Syrian, 50.6% Iraqi, 1.2% Afghan, and 2% from other countries. The distribution of the nationality of the refugee children who applied to the outpatient polyclinic was 51.9% Syrian, 45.9% Iraqi, 0.9% Afghan, and 1.3% from other countries. The most frequent diagnosis of refugee children admitted to the pediatric emergency polyclinic and outpatient polyclinics were upper respiratory tract infections and lower respiratory tract infections. 21.4% of the refugee patients who applied to the emergency polyclinic were admitted to the pediatric clinic or the pediatric intensive care unit. Of these patients, 1.1% were hospitalized for varicella and 0.8% were hospitalized for hepatitis A. Malnutritionwas observed in 6.2%, anemia of iron deficiency was observed in 23.8%, and vitamin B12 deficiency was observed in 9.6% of the patients. Conclusions: We recommend that every refugee child should be scanned for malnutrition and anemia and nutritional support should be provided to preserve their health.

Keywords

• child
• refugee
• anemia