Evaluation of Psychosocial Conditions of Dentistry Students After the Earthquake

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the psychosocial conditions of dentistry students after the earthquake that struck Türkiye on February 6, 2023, affecting eleven provinces and approximately 15 million people. The research investigated the disaster's impact on students’ mental health and its potential implications for academic performance. A total of 405 clinical dentistry students from both earthquake-affected and unaffected areas participated in the study. Participants were divided into two groups based on their earthquake exposure status. Data were collected via the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) using an online questionnaire and analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U and independent t-tests. Results were considered statistically significant at a p-value of ≤0.05. A total of 405 students (243 females, 162 males, mean age: 23.15 ± 1.37 years) completed the questionnaire. Students in the earthquake-affected group exhibited significantly higher scores for depression (23.35), anxiety (17.40), and stress (19.72) compared to those in the unaffected group (p<0.001). Gender differences were significant across all parameters, with female participants scoring significantly higher than their male counterparts, except for depression scores in the affected group (p>0.05). These findings underscore the profound impact of natural disasters on students’ psychosocial well-being and highlight the urgent need for targeted mental health support initiatives. Investigating the psychosocial conditions of dentistry students may become increasingly relevant for their well-being during times of crisis such as natural disasters.

Keywords

• Anxiety
• dentistry students
• depression
• earthquake
• stress

Deprem Sonrası Diş Hekimliği Öğrencilerinin Psikososyal Durumlarının Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Bu çalışma, 6 Şubat 2023 tarihinde Türkiye'de on bir ili ve yaklaşık 15 milyon kişiyi etkileyen deprem sonrasında diş hekimliği öğrencilerinin psikososyal durumlarını değerlendirmeyi amaçlamıştır. Araştırma, felaketin öğrencilerin ruh sağlığı üzerindeki etkisini ve akademik performanslarına olası yansımalarını incelemektedir. Depremden etkilenen ve etkilenmeyen bölgelerden toplam 405 klinik diş hekimliği öğrencisi çalışmaya katılmıştır. Katılımcılar, depremden etkilenme durumlarına göre iki gruba ayrılmış, veriler Depresyon, Anksiyete ve Stres Ölçeği-21 (DASS-21) çevrimiçi anketi kullanılarak toplanmış ve Mann-Whitney U ile bağımsız t-testleri ile analiz edilmiştir. Sonuçlar, p değeri ≤0.05 düzeyinde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı kabul edilmiştir. Toplam 405 öğrenci (243 kadın, 162 erkek, ortalama yaş: 23.15 ± 1.37 yıl) anketi tamamlamıştır. Depremden etkilenen öğrenciler, etkilenmeyen öğrencilere göre anlamlı derecede daha yüksek depresyon (23.35), anksiyete (17.40) ve stres (19.72) skorları göstermiştir (p<0.001). Tüm parametrelerde cinsiyet farklılıkları anlamlı bulunmuş; kadın öğrenciler, etkilenen grupta depresyon hariç olmak üzere tüm DASS skorlarını sürekli olarak daha yüksek bildirmiştir (p>0.05). Bu bulgular, doğal afetlerin öğrencilerin psikososyal iyi oluşu üzerindeki ciddi etkisini vurgulamakta ve ruh sağlığı destek girişimlerine duyulan ihtiyacı ortaya koymaktadır. Doğal afet zamanlarında diş hekimliği öğrencilerinin psikososyal durumlarının incelenmesi, onların iyi oluşu için giderek daha önemli hale gelebilir.

Keywords

• Anksiyete
• diş hekimliği öğrencileri
• depresyon
• deprem
• stres

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