Predictive Role of The Trauma Level of Nursing Students Affected by The Earthquake Disaster in Türkiye on Their Psychological Distress

Abstract

Objective: The study investigated the predictive role of the post-earthquake trauma level of nursing students affected by the earthquake on their psychological distress. Methods: This study has a descriptive and cross-sectional design. The research sample consisted of 217 nursing students enrolled in a university in the western part of Türkiye who were affected by the earthquake. Data were collected using the Nursing Students Information Form, The Scale Determining the Level of Trauma, and the General Health Questionnaire-12. Results: The level of risk of psychological distress was high for 59% of the students. There was a statistically significant difference between their level of psychological distress in relation to their characteristics such as gender, income status and damage to the house/apartment and their level of trauma. According to the results of the regression analysis, the risk of experiencing psychological distress was 2.5 times higher for those whose houses/apartments were damaged than for those whose houses/apartments were not damaged. The risk of experiencing psychological distress was 6.6 times higher for those with high levels of trauma than for those with low levels of trauma. Conclusion: The present study was to the predictive role of post-earthquake trauma level of nursing students affected by the earthquake on their psychological distress. It was emphasized that the results of the present study are important because they revealed the factors that affect the psychological distress of nursing students who were affected by the last two earthquakes in Türkiye.