Knowledge, attitude, difficulty and perceived stress levels regarding Covid-19 among Syrian under temporary protection

Aim: The aim of our research is to reveal the difficulties experienced, knowledge levels and perceived stress levels of Syrians living in Gaziantep, registered under temporary protection, during the Covid-19 epidemic, for future health planning and organization of health service delivery. Materials and Methods: We studied 650 participants, 313 women and 337 men, under temporary protection, accessing Gaziantep's Immigrant Health Center (GSM). Participants aged 18 to 59, with an average age of 38.46±11.72. Sample size calculations considered 576 individuals + 10% increase, using the OpenEpi program, with a 95% confidence interval, 80% power, 5% margin of error and 1.5 pattern effect. Statistical tests included Shapiro-Wilk, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn-Bonferroni for quantitative data. Qualitative data were analyzed using Pearson chi-square and Fisher-Freeman-Halton exact tests. The survey, based on the literature, covered Covid-19 related challenges, knowledge levels, and perceived stress. Results: Among the participants, gender distribution was equal. 50.8% encountered difficulties obtaining cleaning materials, 51.5% with masks, 49.7% faced economic challenges and 49.1% struggled to access healthcare. Additionally, 47.1% reported difficulties in obtaining medication, while 49.1% faced salary-related issues. Psychological support was required by 51.4%, 53.4% faced financial challenges and 51.2% lost jobs. Participants proficient in Turkish experienced significantly more difficulty obtaining medication (p=0.014). Conclusion: in our study, approximately half of the Syrians registered under temporary protection living in Gaziantep had difficulties in obtaining water, cleaning materials, masks and health services. Those who do not speak Turkish experienced more difficulties, while those with chronic diseases stated that they experienced more difficulties. Key words: Covıd-19, Pandemic, Stress Levels, Syrian Refugees