Disaster Awareness of Social Workers in the Context of the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes: A Mixed-Methods Study

OpenAlex Türkçe

This study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach to determine the levels of disaster awareness among social workers employed in public institutions and civil society organizations in Türkiye and to examine social work practices in the context of the February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. In the quantitative component of the study, which adopted a convergent parallel design, data were collected from 391 social workers. Data were collected using the “Personal Information Form” and the “Disaster Awareness Scale.” In the qualitative component, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 social workers who were actively engaged in fieldwork during the earthquake, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that social workers generally possess a high level of disaster awareness. Additionally, it was determined that disaster awareness levels differed significantly according to the variables of age and field of work. In particular, it was found that the awareness levels of specialists working in the disaster field were higher. As a result of the research, it is recommended that disaster-focused courses be strengthened in social work education, practical training and internship opportunities be increased, institutional collaborations in the disaster field be developed, and the continuity of in-service training be ensured.