This study examines the impact of Syrian refugees on the health outcomes of Turkish nationals, including healthcare utilization, access to care, and overall health conditions. Utilizing the 2008-2022 Türkiye Health Survey micro datasets, it applies an instrumental variable strategy to mitigate endogeneity resulting from non-random refugee settlement. The findings indicate a significant increase in inpatient care within high-refugee-density regions; however, no significant effects were observed regarding specialist visits, outpatient care, family practitioner visits, or dental care among the native population. Furthermore, the research highlights improved access to healthcare services for Turkish nationals as a consequence of the influx. Early impact analyses conducted following the refugee shock reveal a transient decline in outpatient and dental care utilization among Turks, which can be attributed to the insufficient preparedness of the Turkish healthcare system at that time. Heterogeneous analyses demonstrate varied effects across demographics: females exhibit significant positive outcomes in inpatient care, while males display no alterations. Individuals with less than a high school diploma residing in high-refugee-density areas report heightened inpatient care utilization and deteriorating health conditions. In contrast, highly educated individuals remain largely unaffected and indicate improved health, potentially due to enhanced employment opportunities for educated females. Additionally, individuals earning below the median income also exhibit increased inpatient care utilization and declining health. In summary, we contend that improvements in healthcare service delivery are a consequence of enhanced infrastructure in refugee-dense regions, which include increased availability of hospital beds and healthcare personnel.
