The Psychological Impact of Medical Experience During the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes on Healthcare Providers from Istanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine Assigned to the Disaster Region

Abstract

Objective: Our study aimed to investigate the psychological impact of assignment to disaster zones on healthcare providers (HCP) from Istanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine following the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Of the 104 eligible personnel, 62 (59.6%) participated. Data were collected via online surveys that included sociodemographic characteristics and deployment experiences. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were used to assess traumatic stress symptoms. Non parametric tests and correlation analyses were applied, with significance set at p<0.05. Results: Participants were predominantly male (72.6%) and nurses represented nearly half (48.4%). The majority did not have prior disaster experience (71.7%) or formal training (77.4%). No significant differences in the scale scores were found between gender, pro fession, or years of experience. However, higher traumatic stress scores were significantly associated with reported challenges, including rapid response pressure, physical fatigue, shortages of medical supplies, unsafe accommodation, and unmet basic needs (all p<0.01). Exposure to emotionally distressing circumstances— such as child fatalities, disrupted bodies, and grieving families —also correlated with increased symptom severity. Perceived psychological strain showed strong correlations with both IES-R (r=0.626, p<0.001) and DASS-21 (r=0.454, p<0.001). Conclusion: The HCP deployed to the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earth quakes experienced psychological stress, driven by environmental and emotional difficulties. The findings underscore the need for psychological evaluation and support, structured training, and organisational strategies to protect the HCP’s mental health during future disasters.

Keywords

• Disaster
• earthquake
• healthcare providers
• mental health
• traumatic stress

2023 Kahramanmaraş Depremleri Sonrasında Afet Bölgesine Görevlendirilen İstanbul Üniversitesi İstanbul Tıp Fakültesi Sağlık Çalışanlarının Ruhsal Etkilenme Düzeyi

Abstract

Amaç: Çalışmamızın amacı, 2023 Kahramanmaraş depremlerinin ardından İstanbul Üniversitesi İstanbul Tıp Fakültesi sağlık çalışan larının (SÇ) afet bölgelerine görevlendirilmesinin psikolojik etkisini araştırmaktır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Kurumumuzdan deprem bölgelerine görevlendirilen toplam 104 SÇ’den 62'si (%59,6) katılmıştır. Ver iler, sosyodemografik özellikleri ve görevlendirme deneyimlerini içeren çevrimiçi anket aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Travmatik stres belirtilerini değerlendirmek için Olayların Etkisi Ölçeği (OEÖ) ve Depresyon Anksiyete Stres Ölçeği-21 (DASÖ-21) kullanılmıştır. SPSS programında non-parametrik testler ve korelasyon analizleri uygu lanmış, anlamlılık düzeyi p<0,05 olarak belirlenmiştir. Bulgular: Katılımcıların çoğu erkek olup (%72,6) ve hemşireler neredeyse yarısını oluşturmaktadır. (%48,4). Örneklemin çoğunluk daha önce afet bölgesinde çalışmamış (%71,7) veya formal bir arama-kurtarma eğitimi almamıştır (%77,4). Cinsiyet, meslek veya mesleki süre açısından ölçek puanlarında fark bulunmamıştır. Hızlı tıbbi müdahale gerekliliği, fiziksel yorgunluk, tıbbi malzeme eksikliği, güvenli olmayan barınma koşulları ve temel ihtiyaçların karşılanmasında zorluklar belirten SÇ’de daha yüksek travmatik stres puanları saptanmıştır (tümü p<0,01). Yaralı ya da ölülerin çocuk yaş grubunda olması, beden bütünlüğü bozulmuş ya da uygun olmayan koşullarda bekletilen ölü bedenlere maruziyet, yas tepkileri gibi zorlayıcı durumlara maruz kalmak artmış semptom şiddetiyle ilişkili bulunmuştur. Katılımcıların belirttiği psikolojik gerginlik, hem OEÖ (r=0,626, p<0,001) hem de DASÖ-21 puanlarıyla (r=0,454, p<0,001) korelasyon göstermiştir. Sonuç: 2023 Kahramanmaraş depremlerinde görevlendirilen SÇ, çevresel ve duygusal zorluklar nedeniyle psikolojik stres deneyim lemiştir. Bulgular, gelecekteki acil durum ya da afetlerde SÇ’nin ruh sağlığını korumak için psikolojik değerlendirme ve destek, yapı landırılmış acil durum/ afet eğitimleri ve organizasyonel strateji lerin önemini vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

• Afet
• deprem
• sağlık çalışanları
• ruh sağlığı
• trav matik stres

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