pocket consultation payment (p = 0.041) with an average payment of US$15 among refugees and US$42 for the host community (p
Doocy et al. Conflict and Health (2016) 10:21 DOI 10.1186/s13031-016-0088-3
RESEARCH
Open Access
Prevalence, care-seeking, and health service utilization for non-communicable diseases among Syrian refugees and host communities in Lebanon Shannon Doocy1*, Emily Lyles1, Baptiste Hanquart2, The LHAS Study Team and Michael Woodman3
Abstract Background: Given the large burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among both Syrian refugees and the host communities within which they are settled, humanitarian actors and the government of Lebanon face immense challenges in addressing health needs. This study assessed health status, unmet needs, and utilization of health services among Syrian refugees and host communities in Lebanon. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of Syrian refugees and host communities in Lebanon was conducted using a two-stage cluster survey design with probability proportional to size sampling. To obtain information on chronic NCDs, respondents were asked a series of questions about hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and arthritis. Differences in household characteristics by care-seeking for these conditions were examined using chi-square, t-test, and adjusted logistic regression methods. Results: Over half (50.4 %) of refugee and host community households (60.2 %) reported a member with one of the five NCDs. Host community prevalence rates were significantly higher than refugees for all conditions except chronic respiratory diseases (p = 0.08). Care-seeking for NCDs among refugees and host community households was high across all conditions with 82.9 and 97.8 %, respectively, having sought care in Lebanon for their condition. Refugees utilized primary health care centers (PHCC) (57.7 %) most often while host communities sought care most in private clinics (62.4 %). Overall, 69.7 % of refugees and 82.7 % of host community members reported an out-ofpocket consultation payment (p = 0.041) with an average payment of US$15 among refugees and US$42 for the host community (p
