Social Trauma Levels and Their Effects on Nutrition Among Individuals Fourth-degree Affected by the Kahramanmaraþ-centered Earthquakes

INTRODUCTION: Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, can cause trauma and impact individuals' nutritional habits. This study aims to examine the social trauma experienced by individuals fourth-degree affected by the Kahramanmaraþ earthquakes and its impact on their nutritional habits.
METHODS: The study was conducted between April and June 2023 with 384 participants. Participants completed forms regarding their sociodemographic characteristics and nutritional habits, and the Post-Earthquake Trauma Level Determination Scale (PETLDS) was administered.
RESULTS: Among the participants, 63% were male and 37% were female. A total of 97.8% of the 198 individuals reported negative effects on their nutritional habits, with 69.7% of these effects lasting longer than one week. The number and timing of main and snack meals changed significantly compared to the pre-earthquake period (p<0.001). Behavioral problems, emotional irritability, cognitive restructuring, and sleep problems—the subdimensions of PETLDS—were found to be higher in women than in men (p<0.001). Behavioral problems (p=0.007) and sleep problems (p=0.016) were also more prevalent among individuals whose family members were affected by the earthquake.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The Kahramanmaraþ-centered earthquakes caused social trauma in individuals fourth-degree affected, predominantly leading to negative changes in their nutritional habits. However, since other potential factors influencing dietary changes were not comprehensively analyzed, these findings should be interpreted within the study's limitations.