The impact of Syrian refugees on patient demographics and type 2 diabetes across five public health centers in Lebanon

Abstract

BackgroundThe war in Syria triggered the influx of a large number of refugees into neighboring countries, particularly Lebanon. In 2019, the Syrian population made up 13.33% of the total population in Lebanon. This shift in demographics influenced many sectors in the country, including the healthcare system. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of Syrian refugees on the Lebanese healthcare system across five public health centers (PHCs) and the prevalence of type II diabetes (T2D) in these patients. MethodsPatient data was collected across five PHCs from different regions in Lebanon. Comparisons between Lebanese and Syrian patients were analyzed for demographics, relative number of patients, and prevalence of T2D.