Büşra GÖKTÜRK, Melike SARAÇ, İsmet KOÇ
Turkish Journal of Public Health - 2026;24(1):118-137
Objective: Child mortality is a critical indicator of population health and inequality. Despite Türkiye's progress in reducing under-five mortality, disparities persist, especially among Syrian migrants. This study compares the social determinants of child mortality between Turkish host community and Syrian migrants using the World Health Organization's Social Determinants of Health framework.Method: Data come from the 2018 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS), including 5,141 ever-married Turkish women and 1,847 Syrian migrant women aged 15-49. A Child Mortality Index (CMI), adjusted for marital duration, served as the dependent variable. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were applied separately for each group to identify key predictors.Results: Both structural and cultural factors significantly influence child mortality, but patterns differ. Among Turkish women, maternal education, traditional gender norms, and exceeding the ideal number of children were the strongest predictors. For Syrian migrants, region of residence, partner's employment, and fertility preferences were most significant. The Syrian sample showed more uniform disadvantage, with less subgroup variation and slightly lower model explanatory power (Nagelkerke R² = 17%) compared to Türkiye (21%).Conclusion: Results emphasize the need for targeted, group-specific policies. For the host population, priorities include educational investment and family planning. For Syrian migrants, strengthening regional health infrastructure and addressing economic vulnerability are critical. Overall, the study supports integrated policy approaches aimed at moving from "equality in disadvantage" to "equality in opportunity" for all populations in Türkiye.
