“Ten years of war! You expect people to fear a ‘germ’?”: A qualitative study of initial perceptions and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic among displaced communities in opposition-controlled northwest Syria

Journal of Migration and Health

Nafeesah Bte Mohamed Ibrahim¹  Hala Mkhallalati²  Mervat Alhaffar²  Ayshath Zaseela³  Nour Horanieh⁴  Natasha Howard⁵  Aula Abbara⁵  Muhammed Al-Twaish⁶  Yazan Douedari⁶  Raheb Alwany⁶ 

[1] Hand in Hand for Syria/Yardim Uzmanlari Yardimlaşma ve Kalkinma Derneği, Idlib, Syria;London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Department of Global Health and Development, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SH, United Kingdom;Faculty of Population Health, Institute for Global Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom;NHS Foundation Trust, York Teaching Hospital, Wigginton Rd, Clifton, York YO31 8HE, United Kingdom;National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, 12 Science Drive 2, 117549, Singapore;Syria Research Group (SyRG), co-hosted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, United Kingdom;

关键词: Displacement;    Conflict;    Lived experience;    COVID-19;    Syria;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Background: Response to the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged even robust healthcare systems in high-income countries. Syria, a country experiencing protracted conflict, has the largest internally-displaced population globally with most displaced settlements in opposition-controlled areas governed by local and international NGOs. This study aimed to explore community perspectives on challenges and potential solutions to reduce COVID-19 transmission among displaced communities in opposition-controlled Northwest Syria. Methods: We used a qualitative study design, conducting 20 interviews with displaced Syrians in opposition-controlled camps in Northwest Syria between April-May 2020 and ensuring over half our interviewees were women. We analysed data thematically. Results: Participants described already difficult camp conditions that would be detrimental to an effective COVID-19 response, including household crowding, inadequate sewerage and waste management, insufficient and poor-quality water, and lack of cleaning supplies. Participants most frequently mentioned internet as their COVID-19 information source, followed by NGO awareness campaigns. Men had access to more accurate and comprehensive COVID-19 information than women did. Isolating (shielding) high-risk people within households did not appear feasible, but participants suggested ‘house-swapping’ approaches might work. While most participants had sufficient knowledge about COVID-19, they lacked practical tools to prevent transmission. Conclusion: This study is the first to explore perspectives and lived experiences of internally-displaced Syrians in the weeks prior to the COVID-19 epidemic in Northwest Syria. The challenging living conditions of internally-displaced people in Syria are further threatened by the spread of COVID-19. Tailored control measures are urgently needed to reduce COVID-19 transmission in camps.

【 授权许可】

Unknown