Psychological Distress After The 2023 Earthquakes in Temporary Housing in Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye

Background

Evidence on mental health in adults living in post-earthquake temporary housing remains limited, although these settings concentrate social vulnerability and chronic health needs. We assessed psychological distress and its determinants among adults living in container settlements in Kahramanmaras, Türkiye, after the February 2023 earthquakes.

Methods

We conducted a field-based cross-sectional study among 102 adults living in temporary housing settlements. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a sociodemographic questionnaire, K6 and SF-12 Scale, items on sleep problems, appetite changes, depressed mood, restlessness, psychiatric help-seeking, and chronic disease. Severe psychological distress was defined as K6≥13. Multivariable binary logistic regression was used.

Results

Overall, 43.1% of participants had severe psychological distress. In the model (n = 102), older age was associated with lower odds of severe distress (OR per year 0.95; 95%CI 0.91-0.99). Compared with high-school education or above, distress was more likely among those with primary school or less (OR 3.68; 95%CI 0.97-13.96) and among those with middle-school education (OR 6.68; 95%CI 1.19-37.39). Chronic disease (OR 3.99; 95%CI 1.18-13.45), sleep difficulty (OR 6.05; 95%CI 1.78-20.52) and prior psychiatric consultation (OR 3.57; 95%CI 1.25-10.13) were also independently associated with severe distress (Omnibus p < 0.001 Nagelkerke R²=0.436 Hosmer-Lemeshow p = 0.690).

Conclusions

Psychological distress was highly prevalent in adults living in post-disaster temporary housing. Lower education, chronic disease, sleep problems and prior psychiatric vulnerability identified subgroups at markedly elevated risk. Post-disaster public health responses should integrate mental health screening with chronic disease follow-up and targeted psychosocial support in temporary settlements.

Key messages

• Severe psychological distress is highly prevalent (43.1%) in post-earthquake temporary housing, signaling a critical need for targeted mental health interventions in vulnerable settings.

• Low education, chronic disease, and sleep problems are key determinants of distress, requiring integrated health strategies that combine mental health support with chronic disease follow-up.