Al-Hajj Samar, Moustafa Moustafa, El Hechi Majed, Chahrour Mohamad A, Nasrallah Ali A, Kaafarani Haytham
Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Van Dyck Hall, Riad El-Solh, PO Box 11-0236, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon.
University of Virginia, Richmond, USA.
Confl Health. 2023 Sep 25;17(1):42. doi: 10.1186/s13031-023-00539-4.
Refugees are prone to higher risks of injury due to often austere living conditions, social and economic disadvantages, and limited access to health care services in host countries. This study aims to systematically quantify the prevalence of physical injuries and burns among the refugee community in Western Lebanon and to examine injury characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes.
We conducted a cluster-based population survey across 21 camps in the Beqaa region of Lebanon from February to April 2019. A modified version of the 'Surgeons Overseas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS)' tool (Version 3.0) was administered to the head of the refugee households and documented all injuries sustained by family members over the last 12 months. Descriptive and univariate regression analyses were performed to understand the association between variables.
750 heads of households were surveyed. 112 (14.9%) households sustained injuries in the past 12 months, 39 of which (34.9%) reported disabling injuries that affected their work and daily living. Injuries primarily occurred inside the tent (29.9%). Burns were sustained by at least one household member in 136 (18.1%) households in total. The majority (63.7%) of burns affected children under 5 years and were mainly due to boiling liquid (50%). Significantly more burns were reported in households where caregivers cannot lock children outside the kitchen while cooking (25.6% vs 14.9%, p-value = 0.001). Similarly, households with unemployed heads had significantly more reported burns (19.7% vs. 13.3%, p value = 0.05). Nearly 16.1% of the injured refugees were unable to seek health care due to the lack of health insurance coverage and financial liability.
Refugees severely suffer from injuries and burns, causing substantial human and economic repercussions on the affected individuals, their families, and the host healthcare system. Resources should be allocated toward designing safe camps as well as implementing educational awareness campaigns specifically focusing on teaching about heating and cooking safety practices.
由于生活条件往往艰苦、社会和经济处于劣势以及在东道国获得医疗服务的机会有限，难民更容易遭受更高的受伤风险。本研究旨在系统地量化黎巴嫩西部难民社区身体伤害和烧伤的患病率，并研究伤害特征、风险因素和后果。
2019年2月至4月，我们在黎巴嫩贝卡地区的21个营地进行了基于整群的人口调查。对难民家庭户主使用了改良版的“海外外科医生手术需求评估（SOSAS）”工具（3.0版），记录了家庭成员在过去12个月内遭受的所有伤害。进行描述性和单变量回归分析以了解变量之间的关联。
共调查了750户家庭户主。在过去12个月中，112户（14.9%）家庭有人受伤，其中39户（34.9%）报告有导致残疾的伤害，影响了他们的工作和日常生活。伤害主要发生在帐篷内（29.9%）。共有136户（18.1%）家庭至少有一名家庭成员遭受烧伤。大多数（63.7%）烧伤影响5岁以下儿童，主要原因是滚烫液体（50%）。在做饭时照顾者无法将孩子锁在厨房外的家庭中，报告的烧伤明显更多（25.6%对14.9%，p值 = 0.001）。同样，户主失业的家庭报告的烧伤也明显更多（19.7%对13.3%，p值 = 0.05）。近16.1%的受伤难民由于缺乏医疗保险和经济负担而无法寻求医疗服务。
难民严重遭受伤害和烧伤，给受影响的个人、其家庭以及东道国医疗系统带来了巨大的人力和经济影响。应分配资源用于设计安全营地以及开展教育宣传活动，特别侧重于传授加热和烹饪安全知识。
