The relationship between the psychological resilience and general health levels of earthquake survivor nursing students in Kahramanmaras earthquakes, the disaster of the century

Abstract

The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between the psychological resilience of earthquake survivor students and their general health status. This descriptive and correlational study was conducted at a state university in Turkey in June 2023 with the nursing department students of a university that experienced two major earthquakes in Turkey on February 6, 2023. The sample of the study consisted of 287 students. The data of the study were collected with the “Descriptive Characteristics Form,” “Brief Resilience Scale,” and “General Health Questionnaire-12.” Filling out the forms took approximately 5−10 min. It was determined in the present study that the psychological resilience of the earthquake survivor students was moderate. It was found that the girls, second graders, those with higher income levels, those who did not receive medication/professional support for their mental health, and those who described their health as good generally had higher psychological resilience levels. It was found that the general health status of the earthquake survivors was at an increased risk level, and 69% of them were at high risk for mental diseases. The mental health of girls, first graders, those who had low-income levels, those who lost loved ones in the earthquake, those whose houses were damaged, those who received medication/professional support for mental health, those who did not generally participate in distance education, and those who described their health as deficient in general, had worse mental health levels. A high relationship was detected between nursing students' psychological resilience and mental health (p < 0.05). It was concluded in the present study that as the psychological resilience of the students increased, the risk of mental disease decreased.