Table 5 Comparison of the quality of life (World Health Organization quality of life Instrument, Short Form) domain with question 1 and question 2 of Syrian refugees in Germany in 2018–2020

General QOL (Q1)

n (%)

Physical health

Psychological

Social relationships

Environment

Total

QOL score ± SD

QOL score ± SD

QOL score ± SD

QOL score ± SD

QOL score ± SD

Very poor

3 (2.60)

48.0 ± 14.0^a

34.0 ± 13.0 ^a

40.0 ± 10.0 ^a

52.0 ± 16.0 ^a

49.5 ± 19.5 ^a

Poor

11 (9.60)

61.0 ± 13.0 ^a

42.0 ± 16.0 ^a

53.0 ± 20.0 ^a

62.0 ± 20.0 ^a

54.5 ± 12.1 ^a

Neither poor nor good

44 (38.6)

71.0 ± 13.0

61.0 ± 12.0 ^a

58.0 ± 20.0 ^a

64.0 ± 13.0 ^a

63.4 ± 11.3 ^a

Good

47 (41.2)

75.0 ± 12.0

71.0 ± 12.0

61.0 ± 18.0

69.0 ± 12.0 ^a

69.1 ± 10.1 ^a

Very good

9 (7.90)

80.0 ± 14.0

79.0 ± 17.0

81.0 ± 21.0

80.0 ± 15.0

79.9 ± 11.4

P Kruskal-Wallis

0.005*

<  0.001*

0.016*

0.007*

< 0.001*

General Health (Q2)

n (%)

Physical health

Psychological

Social relationships

Environment

Total

QOL score ± SD

QOL score ± SD

QOL score ± SD

QOL score ± SD

QOL score ± SD

Very dissatisfied

5 (4.40)

50.0 ± 17.0 ^a

41.0 ± 14.0 ^a

46.0 ± 14.0 ^a

59.0 ± 24.0 ^a

49.2 ± 15.0 ^a

Dissatisfied

16(14.0)

65.0 ± 11.0 ^a

53.0 ± 16.0 ^a

51.0 ± 23.0 ^a

58.0 ± 11.0 ^a

56.8 ± 11.4 ^a

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

40 (35.1)

70.0 ± 13.0 ^a

62.0 ± 16.0 ^a

61.0 ± 19.0

65.0 ± 15.0 ^a

64.4 ± 11.5 ^a

Satisfied

43 (37.7)

76.0 ± 11.0

70.0 ± 13.0

64.0 ± 19.0

69.0 ± 11.0

69.8 ± 9.80

Very satisfied

10 (8.80)

83.0 ± 10.0

79.0 ± 13.0

70.0 ± 24.0

79.0 ± 12.0

77.7 ± 11.9

P Kruskal-Wallis

< 0.001*

< 0.001*

0.032*

0.003*

< 0.001*