Post-traumatic stress disorder level of earthquake healthcare workers and coping strategies with earthquake stress

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Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the post-traumatic stress disorder level of earthquake-affected healthcare workers and their strategies for coping with earthquake stress. Our research is an analytical cross-sectional study conducted between July and October 2023 with healthcare workers affected by earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş (n = 522). The Impact of Events Scale-Turkish Form and the Earthquake Stress Coping Strategies Scale were administered to the participants. The post-traumatic stress disorder level of the earthquake-affected healthcare workers who participated in the study was 47.7%. Healthcare professionals have used mostly the'positive reappraisal' subdimension to cope with stress. In our study, women, elderly individuals, those with low incomes, those whose homes were severely damaged, those whose parents had physical injuries, those whose relatives lost their lives, and those who experienced financial losses due to the earthquake had significantly greater results than did the Impact of Events Scale-Turkish Form(p < 0.05). Women, married people, and those with severely damaged homes obtained significantly higher scores in terms of Earthquake Stress Coping Strategies Scale (p < 0.05). Groups at greater risk in terms of post-traumatic stress disorder risk were identified. The mental health problems of healthcare workers after disasters should not be ignored. Training on stress management should be given before and after an earthquake.