DOI: 10.54535/rep.1903017 ISSN: 2602-3733

Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and Anxiety Following Earthquakes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Coşkun Arslan, Şahin Kesici, Batuhan Çakırbilgiç, Burak Akyıldız
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This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety among earthquake-affected populations using studies published between 2018 and 2024. Searches were conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Springer Nature. Binomial-normal random-effects models with a logit link were used, with analyses stratified by assessment method and population group. Sixty-one independent samples comprising 69,748 participants contributed 90 prevalence estimates. Screening-based probable PTSD prevalence ranged from 20.4% among students and adolescents to 40.2% in other selected groups; estimates were 25.5% in community samples, 28.5% in camp or displaced populations, and 33.2% in clinical or hospital samples. Probable depression prevalence was 27.9% in community samples and 36.7% among students and adolescents, while probable anxiety prevalence was 41.3% and 34.2%, respectively. Secondary analyses combining population groups yielded pooled estimates of 25.9% for probable PTSD (95% CI, 19.9%–33.1%), 33.4% for probable depression (95% CI, 22.2%–46.7%), and 41.0% for probable anxiety (95% CI, 30.7%–52.2%). Substantial between-study heterogeneity and wide prediction intervals indicate that these estimates should be interpreted as context-dependent averages rather than universal prevalence rates.

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