Correlates of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the Aftermath of the February 2023 Earthquake in Turkey

Figures & data

Table 1. Endorsement rates for earthquake-related experiences.

	Total Sample (N = 527) (%)	Males (n = 183) (%)	Females (n = 344) (%)
In the days following the earthquake did you have to spend the night somewhere other than in your home?	492 (93.4%)	171 (32.4%)	321 (60.9%)
Did you need food and water aid after the earthquake?	444 (84.3%)	163 (30.9%)	281 (53.3%)*
Was your home damaged in the earthquake?	434 (82.4%)	158 (30.0%)	276 (52.4%)
Did you have to relocate because your house became structurally unsafe to live in?	346 (65.8%)	124 (23.6%)	222 (42.2%)
Were you physically injured in the earthquake?	141 (26.8%)	55 (10.4%)	86 (16.3%)
Were any members of your family or your loved ones physically injured in the earthquake?	287 (54.5%)	102 (19.4%)	185 (35.1%)
Did you lose any members of your family in the earthquake?	216 (41.0%)	75 (14.2%)	141 (26.8%)
Did you lose any relatives (e.g., aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents) in the earthquake?	233 (44.2%)	89 (16.9%)	144 (27.3%)
Were you involved in the rescue work?	105 (19.9%)	69 (13.1%)**	36 (6.8%)
Did you see any dead bodies or body parts during the rescue and clearing up work period?	164 (31.1%)	81 (15.4%)**	83 (15.4%)

Note: ** p <.01, * p <.05

Table 2. Descriptive statistics for ITQ PTSD items.

PTSD items	Endorsement	Mean	SD	Mdn	Range
Reexperiencing
Having upsetting dreams that replay part of the experience or are clearly related to the experience?	59.2 % (n = 312)	1.87	1.25	2.00	0–4
Having powerful images or memories that sometimes come into your mind in which you feel the experience is happening again in the here and now?	77.0% (n = 406)	2.46	1.18	2.00	0–4
Re cluster	82.5% (n = 435)	4.33	2.11	4.00	0–8
Avoidance
Avoiding internal reminders of the experience (for example, thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations)?	65.6% (n = 350)	2.07	1.34	2.00	0–4
Avoiding external reminders of the experience (for example, people, places, conversations, objects, activities, or situations)?	58.9% (n = 310)	1.82	1.38	2.00	0–4
Av cluster	74.0% (n = 390)	3.90	2.46	4.00	0–8
Threat
Being “super-alert”, watchful, or on guard?	76.4% (n = 403)	2.45	1.29	3.00	0–4
Feeling jumpy or easily startled?	75.0% (n = 395)	2.46	1.36	3.00	0–4
Th cluster	83.5% (n = 440)	4.91	2.44	5.00	0–8
Total PTSD	54.1% (n = 285)	13.13	5.76	14.00	0–24

Table 3. Logistic regression analysis of age, gender, and earthquake-related experiences predicting PTSD.

	Bivariate			Multivariate
	OR	CI	p	OR	CI	p
Age	1.01	(0.99, 1.02)	.417	1.00	(0.99, 1.02)	.709
Gender (Female)	2.18	(0.51, 3.14)	<.001	2.65	(1.75, 4.02)	< .001
In the days following the earthquake did you have to spend the night somewhere other than in your home?	1.62	(0.81, 3.24)	.171	1.48	(0.71, 3.13)	.298
Did you need food and water aid after the earthquake?	1.32	(0.83, 2.12)	.242	1.08	(0.62, 1.89)	.783
Was your home damaged in the earthquake?	1.39	(0.89, 2.18)	.150	1.17	(0.65, 2.11)	.593
Did you have to relocate because your house became structurally unsafe to live in?	1.21	(0.84, 1.73)	.308	0.73	(0.44, 1.17)	.178
Were you physically injured in the earthquake?	2.54	(1.68, 3.83)	<.001	2.26	(1.41, 3.60)	< .001
Were any members of your family or your loved ones physically injured in the earthquake?	2.23	(1.57, 3.17)	<.001	1.72	(1.13, 2.62)	.010
Did you lose any members of your family in the earthquake?	1.62	(1.14, 2.31)	.007	1.20	(0.76, 1.90)	.430
Did you lose any relatives (e.g., aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents) in the earthquake?	1.41	(1.00, 1.99)	.053	0.95	(0.60, 1.50)	.824
Were you involved in the rescue work?	0.92	(0.60, 1.41)	.696	0.95	(0.60, 1.50)	.648
Did you see any dead bodies or body parts during the rescue and clearing up work period?	1.35	(0.93, 1.96)	.117	1.50	(0.91, 2.46)	.110

Abbreviations: OR: Odds Ratio; CI: 95% Confidence Intervals; p: significance level.

Table 4. Logistic regression analysis of cumulative earthquake-related experiences predicting PTSD.

	PTSD n (%)	Multivariate
		OR	CI	p
Age		1.00	(0.99, 1.02)	.736
Gender (Female)	39.7% (n = 209)	2.76	(1.86, 4.09)	<.001
Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 1	9.9% (n = 53)	–	–	–
Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 2	12.9% (n = 68)	0.78	(0.47, 1.29)	.329
Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 3	16.1% (n = 85)	1.38	(0.81, 2.33)	.234
Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 4	15.2% (n = 80)	3.54	(1.92, 6.51)	<.001

Abbreviations: OR: Odds Ratio; CI: 95% Confidence Intervals; p: significance level.

Note: Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 1 = those scoring 25% on total number of traumas; Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 2 = those scoring between 25.1% and 50% on total number of traumas; Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 3 = those scoring 51% to 75% on total number of traumas; Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 4 = those scoring 100% on total number of traumas.

Table 5. Regression analysis on PTSD symptom levels.

	Bivariate					Multivariate
	B	SE	β	t	p	B	SE	β	t	p
Age	.009	(.018)	.022	.494	.622	.001	(.019)	.002	.051	.959
Gender (Female)	2.545	(.516)	.211	4.936	<.001	3.08	(.533)	.255	5.777	<.001
In the days following the earthquake did you have to spend the night somewhere other than in your home?	1.334	(1.007)	.058	1.325	.186	.764	(.972)	.033	.786	.432
Did you need food and water aid after the earthquake?	.885	(.688)	.056	1.286	.199	.000	(.736)	.000	.000	1.000
Was your home damaged in the earthquake?	1.321	(.656)	.088	2.014	.045	.710	(.776)	.047	.915	.361
Did you have to relocate because your house became structurally unsafe to live in?	.847	(.528)	.070	1.603	.109	−.678	(.640)	−.056	−1.058	.290
Were you physically injured in the earthquake?	2.135	(.559)	.164	3.817	<.001	1.200	(.589)	.092	2.039	.042
Were any members of your family or your loved ones physically injured in the earthquake?	2.872	(.488)	.249	5.882	<.001	2.026	(.558)	.175	3.632	<.001
Did you lose any members of your family in the earthquake?	1.653	(.505)	.141	3.271	.001	.176	.591	.015	.297	.766
Did you lose any relatives (e.g., aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents) in the earthquake?	1.696	(.500)	.146	3.392	< .001	.665	.593	.057	1.121	.263
Were you involved in the rescue work?	.431	(.628)	.030	.686	.493	.329	.729	.023	.451	.652
Did you see any dead bodies or body parts during the rescue and clearing up work period?	1.386	(.539)	.112	2.571	.010	1.156	.623	.093	1.856	.064
R-squared						.137

Abbreviations: B: unstandardized beta value; p: significance level; SE: standard error of B; t: t-statistic; β: standardized beta value.

Table 6. Regression Analysis of Cumulative Earthquake-Related Experiences on PTSD symptom levels.

	PTSD x¯ (SD)	Multivariate
		B	SE	β	t	p
Age		−.004	(.018)	−.054	−.984	.325
Gender (Female)	14.01 (5.50)	3.007	(.503)	.249	5.981	< .001
Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 1	12.27 (5.88)	–	–	–	–	–
Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 2	11.44 (5.76)	−.675	(.686)	−.054	−.984	.325
Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 3	14.05 (5.54)	2.065	(.703)	.163	2.938	.003
Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 4	15.13 (5.76)	3.550	(.762)	.251	4.657	<.001

Abbreviations: B: unstandardized beta value; p: significance level; SE: standard error of B; t: t-statistic; β: standardized beta value.

Note: Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 1 = those scoring 25% on total number of traumas; Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 2 = those scoring between 25.1% and 50% on total number of traumas; Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 3 = those scoring 51% to 75% on total number of traumas; Earthquake-related traumatic events quartile 4 = those scoring 100% on total number of traumas.