Digital Dermatological Surveillance Among Syrian Refugees in Türkiye

Abstract

Mass displacement profoundly impacts skin health through overcrowding, disrupted hygiene, vector exposure, and limited care access. Clinical reports from Syrian asylum seekers indicate a high burden of dermatological infections and infestations. Türkiye, hosting approximately 3.2 million Syrians under temporary protection, represents a unique convergence of refugee and host populations. Multilingual digital search patterns reveal divergent dermatological trends: scabies surges post-pandemic across cohorts, pediculosis persists predominantly among refugees, and leishmaniasis remains dampened after relocation. These signals underscore the necessity of targeted screening, multilingual risk communication, and nuanced clinical surveillance, beyond relying on generalized national data, to safeguard vulnerable displaced populations.