Date of Award

1-1-2015

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Medical Doctor (MD)

Department

Medicine

First Advisor

Andres Barkil-Oteo

Second Advisor

Hussam Jeffee-Bahloul

Subject Area(s)

Medicine, Middle Eastern studies, Psychology

Abstract

The Syrian conflict is now in its fourth year and has produced one of the largest humanitarian disasters since the Cold War. Violent fighting and aerial bombings in many of the country’s major cities have resulted in massive numbers of internally and externally displaced Syrians, many psychologically traumatized and in need of expert mental health attention. The influx of refugees into Syria’s neighboring countries of Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey has stressed already strained health systems. The ability to deliver mental health care is inextricably linked to the existing health care infrastructure—a dynamic and often unstable institution as refugees migrate from one region to another and as local government and social factors influence refugees’ access to services. This thesis attempts to provide a framework for understanding the challenges to providing mental health care for Syrian refugees. Telepsychiatry is proposed as a potential modality to help bridge the mental health needs gap. Emphasis will be placed on the southern Turkish province of Kilis, were we carried out a pilot telepsychiatry assessment (PASSPORT study) discussed later in the thesis.

Comments

This is an Open Access Thesis.

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