A Psychosocial, Spiritual, and Physical Health Study among Assyrian-Syrian Refugees in Istanbul: Cultivating Resilience in the Midst of Hardship

Abstract

This study aimed at describing the general health situation among Assyrian-Syrian refugees n = 171, 70.2% males, mean age 31.08 in Istanbul, during two separate time periods. Measures included The Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ , The Brief R-COPE, The General Self-Efficacy Scale GSE , The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale CD-RISC , The Primary Care Post Traumatic Disorder Scale PC-PTSD , together with a number of additional health items. The results showed that among the 52.4% of those who were found to have experienced some kind of trauma, 23.4% met the criteria for PTSD. Ratings of one’s own physical health p < .001 , one’s own psychological health p < .05 , and PHQ were statistically significant with PTSD. Females rated their own physical health p < .01 and own psychological health p < .01 worse than men. A paired-samples t-Test showed a significant increase from Time 1 to Time 2 for Positive R-COPE p < .08 , a decrease for Negative R-COPE p < .05 , and an increase for the GSE p < .05 . A paired-samples t-Test showed a significant gender difference for the PHQ p < .01 and GSE p < .01 . A mediation model, using a Sobel Test, showed that positive religious coping strategies reduced symptoms in male participants by improving their evaluations toward their own psychological well-being p < .001 .

Keywords

• Assyrian-Syrian refugees
• Psychological health
• Physical health
• Religious coping
• Trauma
• Istanbul
• Community work

İstanbul’da Süryani-Suriyeli Mültecilerin Psikososyal, Manevi ve Beden Sağlığı Durumları: Zorluğun Ortasında Direnç Geliştirmek

Abstract

Bu çalışma, İstanbul’daki Süryani-Suriyeli mültecilerin n = 171, %70,2 erkek, ortalama yaş 31,08 iki ayrı zaman dilimindeki genel sağlık durumlarını tanımlamayı amaçlamıştır. Çalışmada “Hasta Sağlığı Ölçeği PHQ ”, “R-COPE Kısa Formu”, “Genel Özyeterlilik Ölçeği GSE ”, “Connor-Davidson Psikolojik Dayanıklılık Ölçeği CD-RISC ”, “Birinci Basamak Post Travmatik Bozukluk Ölçeği PC-PTSD ” gibi ölçme araçları yanında bazı sağlık maddeleri de kullanılmıştır. Daha önce bir çeşit travma geçirmiş katılımcıların %52,4’ünün %23,4’ünde “Travma Sonrası Stres Bozukluğu TSSB ” kriterleri görülmüştür. Kişinin kendi bedensel sağlık düzeyi p < .001 , kendi psikolojik sağlığı p < .05 ve PHQ puanları TSSB ile istatistiksel olarak anlamlıdır. Kadınlar, kendi bedensel sağlıklarını p < .01 ve kendi psikolojik sağlıklarını p < .01 erkeklerden daha kötü olarak değerlendirmişlerdir. Eşleştirilmiş Örneklemler t-Testi neticesinde, Zaman 1’den Zaman 2’ye Pozitif R-COPE p < .08 için manidar bir artış, Negatif R-COPE için bir azalma p < .05 ve GSE için bir de bir artış p < .08 görülmüştür. Eşleştirilmiş örneklemler t-Testi, PHQ p < .01 ve GSE p < -.01 için anlamlı bir cinsiyet farkı göstermiştir. Sobel Testi kullanan bir arabulucu rolü, pozitif dinî başa çıkma stratejilerinin erkek katılımcıların kendi psikolojik iyi oluşlarına yönelik değerlendirmelerini geliştirerek erkeklerde semptomları azalttığını göstermiştir p < .001 .

Keywords

• Süryani-Suriyeli mülteciler
• Beden sağlığı
• Psikolojik sağlık
• Dinî başa çıkma
• Travma
• İstanbul
• Toplum çalışması

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