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It is important to ensure cultural safety in dealing with Syrian refugees. The Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice Framework highlights Competency 2.1: Respect for cultural beliefs and practices (Migration Council Australia, 2022).

A case in point: Female health professionals are favored by many Syrian women because of modesty. By abiding by this, dignity and trust are instilled and they are motivated to seek care without any hesitation.

In my practice, I would:

Inquire about culture.

Offer female clinicians when available

Use interpreters & maintain privacy

It is not merely the sensitivity but cultural safety to respect these values. The studies indicate that culturally safe care enhances the engagement and treatment outcomes (Aljadeeah et al., 2021).

Reference:

Aljadeeah, S., Wirtz, V. J., & Nagel, E. (2021). Barriers to accessing medicines among Syrian asylum seekers and refugees in a German federal state. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 519. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020519

Migration Council Australia. (2022). Culturally responsive clinical practice: Working with people from migrant and refugee backgrounds competency standards framework for clinicians. Migrant & Refugee Health Partnership. https://culturaldiversityhealth.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Culturally-responsive-clinical-practice-Working-with-people-from-migrant-and-refugee-backgrounds-Jan2019.pdf

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nurse with patient in a respectful setting)

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Syrian culture still clings to traditional medicine. Relieves commonly used by families include:

Chamomile for stomach pain

Anise for breathing issues

Olive oil for skin conditions Quranic healsay.

According to Ahmed et al. (2025), it is estimated that almost 69 per cent of Northwest Syria population relied on traditional remedies last year. Although these practices bring relief, it can interact with prescribed medications, which is also the focus of Kassir et al. (2020) in a larger study of the use of complementary medicine among Syrians.

When acting as a nurse, I would:

Ask respectfully about traditional medicine use

Give instructions where necessary

Check for conflicts with prescriptions

In this way, safe, holistic, respectful care is guaranteed culturally.

Reference:

Ahmed, M. J., Albarqouni, L., & Ismail, S. (2025). The practice of traditional medicine and associated factors in Northwest Syria: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Health Policy and Outcomes Research, 1(2), 1–10. https://www.jhpor.com/article/2352-the-practice-of-traditional-medicine-and-associated-factors-in-northwest-syria-a-cross-sectional-study

Kassir, M. F., Adib, S. M., & El Sayed, M. J. (2020). Complementary and alternative medicine use among Syrian patients: A cross-sectional study. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 20, 232. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-020-03001-0

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The Australian Refugee Health Practice Guide states that one of the commonly detected health problems in refugees is PTSD (Victorian Refugee Health Network, 2023).

Some of the major causes are the war trauma, displacement and family separation, which usually intertwine and increase stress among refugees. Nightmares, anxiety, and depression are widespread symptoms which have been mentioned by Rawers et al. (2024) and Yilmaz et al. (2024).

Treatment options include early mental health screening, trauma-focused CBT and culturally sensitive community programs.

As a nurse, I would culturally humble mental-health conversations to mitigate stigma and aid in building resiliency. The management of PTSD enhances the wellbeing of people and their integration in the family.

References:

Rawers, T., Behrendt, S., Knaevelsrud, C., Stammel, N., & Mewes, R. (2024). Multiple trauma exposure and psychopathology among Syrian refugees in Turkey: The role of trauma-related cognitions. Acta Psychologica, 241, 104220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104220

Victorian Refugee Health Network. (2023). Australian refugee health practice guide. https://refugeehealthnetwork.org.au/clinical-resources

Yilmaz, V., Ozdogan, A., & Altun, Z. (2024). Long-term prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among Syrian refugees: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, 1352288. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1352288

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The World Health Organization has confirmed that non-discrimination and social inclusion is a key determinant of health (WHO, 2010). In Australia, language issues, unemployment, and discrimination frequently present challenges to Syrian refugees and lead to increased stress levels, social loneliness, and poor health results (Song et al., 2025). The excluded individuals are less likely to make use of services that are available.

Some of the important interventions to deal with these challenges are:

Anti‑racism policies

Interpreter services in healthcare settings

Community orientation programs (Samanga, 2022)

References:
World Health Organization. (2010). A conceptual framework for action on the social determinants of health. WHO Document Production Services. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241500852

Samanga, S. (2022). Role of social networks and social capital in refugee integration in Australia (Doctoral dissertation, University of Western Australia). UWA Research Repository. https://doi.org/10.26182/5f6c41d7e9d2d

Song, Y., Hebbani, A., & Vyas, D. (2025). Resettlement challenges for refugees in Australia: Implications for inclusion. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 9(CSCW1), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1145/3711041