DOI: 10.33808/clinexphealthsci.1711332 ISSN: 2459-1459

Psychological and Sexual Health Status of Women of Reproductive Age Following the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake in Türkiye

Hacer Alan Dikmen, Cahide Ülkü Ertutcu, Havva Tokgöz Kekeç, Şebnem Yücel
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Objective: This study aimed to examine the interrelations between post-traumatic stress and sexual dysfunction, dyadic adjustment, and depressive symptoms among reproductive-aged women after a major earthquake.Methods: A descriptive and correlational study design was used. The study included 360 women living in container settlements in Kahramanmaraş and Gaziantep between February and September 2024. Data were collected using the Post-Earthquake Trauma Level Determination Scale (PTDS), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS), and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-Short Form (DASS-21). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation tests.Results: The participants’ mean age was 37.81 ± 6.34 years. High levels of emotional distress were common, with fear (100%), helplessness (93.3%), sadness (91.7%), and anxiety (86.4%) reported most frequently. The mean scores were 41.69 ± 12.61 for PTDS, 23.86 ± 5.21 for FSFI, 54.38 ± 6.61 for RDAS, and 5.91 ± 3.50 for DASS-21. Traumatic stress showed a weak to moderate negative correlation with sexual functioning (r = -.288, moderate) and dyadic adjustment (r = -.270, weak), and a moderate positive correlation with depressive symptoms (r = .411) (p < .001). Additionally, women with sexual dysfunction had significantly higher PTDS scores (p

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