Predictors and barriers for the management of non-communicable diseases among older Syrian refugees amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
A cross-sectional analysis of a multi-wave survey
Abstract
Older Syrian refugees have a high burden of non-communicable diseases and economic vulnerability. This nested cross-sectional study aimed to assess the predictors and barriers to managing any NCD, which included hypertension, diabetes, history of cardiovascular disease and chronic respiratory disease. Data was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic between September 2020 and January 2021.
The study found predictors included age, no cash assistance, household water insecurity, household food insecurity and having multiple chronic diseases. Primary reasons for not taking medications were it not being affordable and belief medication was no longer required.
The predictors of inability to manage NCDs among older Syrian refugees in Lebanon are mainly related to financial barriers, which aids the targeting of assistance and interventions. Context-appropriate assistance is required to overcome financial barriers and enable equitable access to healthcare and medication required to manage NCDs.
This research was supported by the Research for Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC) Programme.
Citation
Stephen J. McCall, Tanya El Khoury, Noura Salibi, Berthe Abi Zeid, Maria El Haddad, Marwan F. Alawieh, Sawsan Abdulrahim, Monique Chaaya, Hala Ghattas, Abla Sibai Predictors and barriers for the management of non-communicable diseases among older Syrian refugees amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon: A cross-sectional analysis of a multi-wave survey medRxiv 2022.04.12.22273786; https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.04.12.22273786 This article is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed