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Post-Traumatic Symptoms and Sleep Problems in Children and Adolescents after Twin Earthquakes in Turkey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2025

Hatice Serap Koçak Open the ORCID record for Hatice Serap Koçak [Opens in a new window] ,
Fedli Emre Kiliç  and
Emine Kaplan Serin Open the ORCID record for Emine Kaplan Serin [Opens in a new window]
Hatice Serap Koçak
Affiliation:
Gaziantep University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Public Health Nursing Department, Gaziantep, Turkey
Fedli Emre Kiliç
Affiliation:
Adıyaman University Faculty of Medicine, Adıyaman, Turkey
Emine Kaplan Serin*
Affiliation:
Mersin University, Faculty of Nursing, Internal Medicine Nursing Department, Mersin, Turkey
*
Corresponding author: Emine Kaplan Serin; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objectives

Earthquakes cause great destruction due to their suddenness and intensity. Although all people are affected by earthquakes, children are among those most affected. Every year, millions of children and young people are exposed to many natural disasters and are affected differently. Earthquakes can cause physical, mental, and sleep disorders in children. The aim of this study is to investigate the post-traumatic response and its effects on sleep on child and adolescent earthquake survivors living in the earthquake zone in Turkey.

Methods

This research was carried out between June and August 2023 as a descriptive and cross-sectional study. A total of 230 earthquake survivor children from Adıyaman were included in the study. Personal information forms, the Child Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index (CPTS-RI), and the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) were used to collect data.

Results

It was determined that the scale scores of the children who were financially affected by the earthquake, who were injured, and who were under the rubble were higher (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

It was observed that more than half of the children had severe trauma and had sleep disorders. Children who experience trauma from an earthquake have more sleep disorders. For this reason, in addition to emergency aid and interventions in earthquakes, arrangements should be made for the mental health of children and social and psychological support should be provided.

Keywords

earthquakepost-traumatic stresssleep disorderchild
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 18 , 2024 , e322
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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