Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Related Factors Among Healthcare Workers in the Third Year After Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate posttraumatic stress symptoms among healthcare workers in the third year following the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes and to examine the relationships of these symptoms with perceived social support, personality traits, anxiety, and depression levels. Method: A total of 174 healthcare workers who were employed at the same hospital during the February 6, 2023 earthquakes were included in the study. Participants were evaluated using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the Revised Abbreviated Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQR-A), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results: The mean age of the participants was 35.94±9.40 years, and 65.5% were female. Posttraumatic stress symptom severity was positively correlated with depressive, and anxiety symptoms, and neuroticism, and negatively correlated with perceived social support. PCL-5 scores were significantly higher among participants who worked in the disaster area during the first month after the earthquakes, experienced housing damage, were displaced from their homes for at least one week, relocated their residence, experienced housing problems, or had a physically injured relative. In the multiple linear regression analysis, anxiety symptoms and perceived social support were independently associated with posttraumatic stress symptom severity (R²=0.496). Conclusion: Approximately three years after the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, posttraumatic stress symptoms among healthcare workers were associated with anxiety levels, perceived social support, and secondary stressors arising in the aftermath of the disaster.

Keywords

• healthcare workers
• posttraumatic stress symptoms
• perceived social support
• anxiety
• earthquake

Kahramanmaraş Depremlerinin Üçüncü Yılında Sağlık Çalışanlarında Görülen Travma Sonrası Stres Belirtileri ve İlgili Faktörler

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmada, Kahramanmaraş merkezli depremlerin üçüncü yılında sağlık çalışanlarında travma sonrası stres belirtilerinin değerlendirilmesi ve bu belirtilerin algılanan sosyal destek, kişilik özellikleri, anksiyete ve depresyon düzeyleri ile ilişkisinin incelenmesi amaçlandı. Yöntem: Çalışmaya, 6 Şubat 2023 depremleri sırasında aynı hastanede görev yapan 174 sağlık çalışanı dahil edildi. Katılımcılar DSM-5 için Travma Sonrası Stres Bozukluğu Kontrol Listesi (PCL-5), Çok Boyutlu Algılanan Sosyal Destek Ölçeği (ÇBASDÖ), Eysenck Kişilik Anketi Gözden Geçirilmiş Kısa Formu (EKA-GGKF), Beck Anksiyete Envanteri (BAE) ve Beck Depresyon Envanteri (BDE) ile değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Katılımcıların yaş ortalaması 35,94±9,40 yıl olup %65,5'i kadındı. Travma sonrası stres belirti düzeyi depresif belirtiler, anksiyete belirtileri ve nörotisizm ile aynı yönlü, algılanan sosyal destek ile zıt yönlü ilişkiliydi. Depremden sonraki ilk bir ay içerisinde saha görevi yapanlarda, konut hasarı bulunanlarda, en az bir hafta evden ayrılanlarda, ikamet değişikliği yapanlarda, barınma sorunu yaşayanlarda ve yakını fiziksel olarak yaralananlarda PCL-5 puanları anlamlı olarak daha yüksekti. Çoklu doğrusal regresyon analizinde anksiyete belirtileri ve algılanan sosyal destek travma sonrası stres belirti düzeyi ile bağımsız olarak ilişkiliydi (R²=0,496). Sonuç: Depremden yaklaşık üç yıl sonra sağlık çalışanlarında travma sonrası stres belirtileri anksiyete düzeyi, algılanan sosyal destek ve afet sonrasında ortaya çıkan ikincil stresörlerle ilişkili bulunmuştur.

Keywords

• sağlık çalışanları
• travma sonrası stres belirtileri
• algılanan sosyal destek
• anksiyete
• deprem

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