The conflicts that began in the Middle East and Syria in 2011 resulted in many people seeking refuge in neighboring countries. Due to irregular migration, many newborns were born far from their homelands, in foreign countries. This study aims to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of non-refugee and refugee newborns to assess potential disparities in their healthcare experiences. The present study examined the applications of newborns who were admitted to the third level pediatric emergency clinic on the Syrian border of Turkey between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024. The most prevalent presenting complaint among both non-refugee and refugee newborns was jaundice, occurring in 23.9% and 21.4% of cases, respectively. Fast breathing was significantly more common in refugee newborns than in non-refugee newborns (11% vs 2.6%, P = .021). Poor feeding was significantly more prevalent among non-refugee newborns than among refugee newborns (9.8% vs 3.8%, P = .008). Additionally, 7.1% of non-refugee newborns had significant medical complications, compared to 25.2% of refugee newborns. This difference was statistically significant (P =.001). Despite the availability of universal, free healthcare at all levels for all newborns, refugee babies continue to utilize inferior healthcare facilities, resulting in elevated mortality rates. Consequently, addressing the health concerns of refugee newborns necessitates a comprehensive strategy. This strategy should encompass programs that bolster maternal and infant health, nutritional support, vaccination services, mental health services, and the provision of secure living environments.

Background/Objectives: Vaccine hesitancy has intensified worldwide, and measles and pertussis have resurged across the WHO European Region. In Türkiye, a regulation introduced in May 2024 made documentation of every parental refusal mandatory, rendering 2025 the first calendar year for which provincial refusal data can be considered systematically ascertained. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, registry-based cross-sectional study of all vaccine refusal notifications submitted to the Batman Provincial Health Directorate between 1 January and 31 December 2025, covering all six districts of the province. Sociodemographic data were extracted from the notification database, and reasons for refusal were obtained using a structured questionnaire administered by primary healthcare personnel. Parents could endorse more than one reason. Results: A total of 4118 notifications were analysed. Mothers completed 62.4% of notifications; 44.2% of parents had primary education only and 58.3% belonged to low-income households. The diphtheria–tetanus–acellular pertussis–inactivated poliovirus–Haemophilus influenzae type b (DTaP-IPV-Hib) combination vaccine (28.4%) and measles–mumps–rubella (MMR) vaccine (22.1%) were the most frequently refused vaccines. Exposure to media or community reports was the most frequently endorsed reason (71.3%), followed by concern about adverse effects (68.9%) and doubts about vaccine safety (65.4%). Parents endorsed a mean of 3.6 reasons each. Doubts about safety predominated in lower socioeconomic strata, whereas the perception that vaccination is unnecessary predominated in higher strata. Conclusions: Refusal in this setting rests on a cluster of mutually reinforcing beliefs rather than a single misconception, and the concerns reported differ systematically by socioeconomic position. Differentiated rather than uniform communication strategies are required.

Objective: Pediatric intussusception is a common gastrointestinal emergency requiring early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Although ultrasonography (USG) is considered the first-line imaging modality for diagnosis, its potential value in identifying patients who may ultimately require surgical treatment remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in children with suspected intussusception and investigate associations of ultrasonographic findings and laboratory parameters with surgical management. Methods: In this retrospective, single-center study, 113 patients with suspected intussusception who underwent abdominal ultrasound at the time of presentation between January and December 2025 were evaluated. The patients’ demographic characteristics, clinical findings, laboratory parameters, ultrasound findings, treatment methods, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. Diagnostic performance was assessed using a composite clinical reference standard based on operative confirmation, successful non-invasive reduction with clinical improvement, or exclusion of intussusception during documented clinical follow-up. Factors associated with surgical management were evaluated using comparative analyses and ROC curves. Results: The mean age of the 113 patients was 2.3 ± 1.8 years, and 68.1% were male. Intussusception was detected on ultrasonography in 52 patients (46.0%). Non-invasive reduction was initially attempted in 47 of 52 patients; 42 were successfully reduced on the first attempt, while 5 proceeded to surgery after failed reduction. Five additional patients underwent primary surgery, resulting in 10 patients (19.2%) receiving surgical treatment. In patients who underwent surgery, intussuscepted segment length, free intraperitoneal fluid, white blood cell count, C-reactive protein level, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were significantly higher ( p < 0.05 for all comparisons). In ROC analysis, cutoff values of 39.5 mm for intussuscepted segment length and 4.8 mg/dL for C-reactive protein demonstrated good discriminatory performance between final treatment groups. Conclusion: Ultrasonography demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for pediatric intussusception in this retrospective cohort. Longer intussuscepted segment length, free intraperitoneal fluid, and higher inflammatory markers were associated with surgical management. These findings may be useful for future risk-stratification approaches but should not be considered stand-alone indications for surgery. Prospective multicenter studies are needed to validate their clinical utility.