0bjectives - Political lability in the Near East has brought about the migration of refugees from adjacent countries to Turkey in recent years. To provide an effective health service for refugees, a needs assessment has to be done. UN refugees referring to a family medical centre located in Ankara, Turkey, were therefore investigated for health problems. Design - Medical records were studied retrospectively for age distribution, gender, origin, diagnoses, type of treatment and referral to a secondary health care setting. Subjects - 212 refugees of different countries (mostly from Iraq, Iran and Palestine). Results - Infectious disease was the most often diagnosed condition. Post-traumatic stress disorders could be observed in 12% of refugees. Conclusion - The family physician must be careful not to misdiagnose these disorders during medical examination. Most disease can be diagnosed and treated in family practice. Special care must be taken in the case of mental disorders.

Primary care Refugees Health problems Turkey

Needs Assessment refugee human Communicable Diseases Refugees middle aged Turkey (republic) Iraq health status United Nations Medical Audit Iran Palestine mental disease Humans Treatment Outcome health services research male female patient referral medical record Article major clinical study adult gender migration posttraumatic stress disorder age Turkey Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic politics infection diagnostic error family medicine primary health care health care delivery