Assessment of the relationship between post-earthquake trauma levels, sleep disorders, dietary habits, and emotional eating in adults.

Abstract

This study aimed to assess post-earthquake trauma levels in adults and explore the relationship between trauma, sleep disorders, dietary habits, and emotional eating. Conducted with 708 adults using snowball sampling, the study utilized the PROMIS Sleep Disturbance Scale, the Post-earthquake Trauma Level Determination Scale, and the Feeding Your Feelings: Emotional Eating Scale. Results revealed that factors such as gender, exposure to earthquake-related content on social media, time spent on social media before sleep, losing a loved one, and emotional eating tendencies significantly influenced trauma levels (Adj. R²:0.166, p<0.001). Bidirectional relationships were found between trauma, sleep disorders, and emotional eating. Given the results achieved, the earthquake on 6 February not only triggered trauma among individuals living in the affected regions but also across the entire society, negatively impacting dietary habits. These findings underscore the importance of psychosocial support after natural disasters to mitigate negative effects like sleep issues and emotional eating.