This research aims to determine the genital hygiene behaviors and risk factors of women of reproductive age after the earthquake.

The descriptive and relationship-seeking research was conducted with 296 women reached online in the Malatya province, where the earthquake in Turkey caused heavy damage. Research data was collected using an online survey form created via Google Forms. Data were obtained using the Personal Information Form and Genital Hygiene Behavior Scale.

In the study, genital hygiene behaviors of women with low education level (p = .004), not working (p = .003), sharing underwear (p = .002), having vaginal itching (p = .006), bathing frequency once a week or less (p = .001), bathing while sitting on a stool (p = .001) and having no knowledge about genital infection (p = .001) were found to be inadequate.

In the study, it was determined that the genital hygiene behaviors of women of reproductive age were negative after the earthquake. It is recommended that health professionals should not ignore the adverse effects that may occur on women’s genital hygiene behaviors after disasters such as earthquakes and take the necessary initiatives.

The aim of this study was to determine the health problems of individuals who survived the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake according to the Omaha System.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Adıyaman, Türkiye, and included 297 earthquake survivors. Data were collected using the Problem Classification Scheme of the Omaha System.

The majority of individuals who survived the earthquake were women and had at least one chronic disease. Of the 42 problems listed in the Omaha Problem Classification Scheme, 38 were identified. Most of the identified problems were actual and individual-level issues. Income, Sanitation, Residence, Living/workplace safety, Communication with community resources, Communicable/infectious condition, and Nutrition problems were identified in all earthquake survivors.

The Omaha System provides nurses with pertinent data to organize health services and prioritize interventions in the post-disaster period. The problems identified highlight the urgent need to improve health and living conditions in temporary shelters.

Health care workers (HCWs) are vital in disaster response. This study explores HCWs’ experiences delivering care in the earthquake-affected zone in Türkiye.

A qualitative study with a phenomenological design was conducted. Eighteen HCWs, including physicians, nurses, and National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE) members, were selected through maximum variation sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s 6-phase approach, following COREQ guidelines.

Three periods (pre-arrival, in the earthquake zone, and post-departure) and 8 themes were identified. In the pre-arrival phase, emotional symptoms and general organization were the main themes. In the earthquake zone, physical symptoms, basic needs, health care organization, health care delivery, and other services were prominent. The post-departure phase focused on emotional symptoms and return to routine work. Overall, emotional difficulties persisted throughout all phases, while organizational problems were concentrated in the pre-arrival and in the earthquake zone periods.

HCWs experienced emotional challenges across all periods and organizational problems in the pre-arrival and in the earthquake zone period. Clear information before arrival, structured orientation upon arrival, balanced staff distribution, and continuous psychological support throughout all phases are essential to protect HCWs’ well-being and sustain health care delivery during disasters.

In Jishishan County, Linxia Prefecture, Gansu Province, China, the altitude ranges from 1,787 meters to 4,308 meters. At 23:59 Beijing time on December 18, 2023, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Jishishan County. The objective is to report the injury characteristics and medical treatments of those injured in the earthquake.

The injury and treatment data were retrospectively collected and analyzed for earthquake-related injuries among patients admitted to the People’s Hospital of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture.

A total of 166 patients were hospitalized: 142 at the People’s Hospital of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture and 24 at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture. Among the injured, 40.3% presented with a single injury. The others had multiple injuries: 28.3% had two injuries, 14.5% had three injuries, 12.1% had four injuries, 4.2% presented with five injuries, while only 0.6% were diagnosed with six injuries. Additionally, 78.9% involved fractures alone, 36.8% involved lung contusions, and 34.9% involved both fractures and lung contusions. Conservative treatment was used slightly more than surgery (54.8% versus 45.2%). Among the 75 surgical cases, internal fixation and sutures were the most common (17.4% each). In total, 53.0% of the injured were treated and discharged and 47.0% were transferred to provincial hospitals. In addition, the outcome of injured patients with differing injury conditions was different.

Fractures and multiple injuries were the primary injury types in this study. Suturing and internal fixation were the most common surgical interventions. The core findings of this study provide an important reference for regionalized prevention and treatment of rural earthquake injuries in high-altitude regions.

This study explores how loneliness affects earthquake risk perception and preparedness behaviors among older adults in Japan. Aging is often accompanied by increased vulnerability to natural disasters, and loneliness is hypothesized to compromise effective preparedness. Using the Japanese Older Adult Preparedness Model (JOAPM), which integrates the Protective Action Decision Model (PADM) and cultural context, we examine how loneliness influences both perceived earthquake risk and protective behaviors.

An online survey conducted in April 2024 gathered responses from adults aged 55 and older across 4 earthquake-prone Japanese prefectures. Measures included demographics, disaster experience, loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale), risk perception, and preparedness actions such as household adjustments. Regression and mediation analyses assessed the direct and indirect effects of loneliness on preparedness.

Findings show that loneliness has a significant negative direct effect on disaster preparedness. However, it also slightly increases risk perception, which in turn has a positive relationship with preparedness behaviors, suggesting a modest indirect pathway. Overall, the direct negative effect of loneliness outweighs the indirect benefit.

The results highlight the complex role of psychosocial factors in disaster readiness, suggesting that interventions should address information dissemination, self-efficacy, and the emotional isolation experienced by older adults in high-risk areas.

Building collapses, debris removal, new construction, and increased stove use for heating have elevated air pollution in regions affected by the February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquake. This study examines the relationship between carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and air pollution in these areas 1 year after the disaster.

A retrospective analysis of 151 patients from 10 hospitals in 8 cities was conducted, including data on demographics, clinical symptoms, sources of CO exposure, vital signs, laboratory findings, air pollution levels, and outcomes.

Indoor stove use was the primary source of CO exposure. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) was 55 (IQR 44-56), and particulate matter (PM2.5) levels averaged 17.5 μg/m3 (IQR 10-27), exceeding EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) thresholds. AQI levels post-earthquake were significantly higher than pre-earthquake in Kahramanmaraş (AQI1 = 48.5 [IQR 48-55], AQI2 = 55 [IQR 55-80]; P = 0.007), Hatay (AQI1 = 40.5 ± 13.7, AQI2 = 56 [IQR 51-60.5]; P <0.001), and Gaziantep (AQI1 = 44 [IQR 41-56], AQI2 = 55 [IQR 54-55.5]; P = 0.014). Leukocytosis (P = 0.004) and myocardial injury (P <0.001) in CO poisoning cases varied significantly across provinces.

In conclusion, elevated AQI and PM2.5 levels likely worsened myocardial injury in CO poisoning cases due to combined outdoor and indoor pollution effects. These findings emphasize the need for air quality monitoring and mitigation in disaster regions.

To assess the iodine status of pregnant women from disadvantaged groups in Kahramanmaraş Province 1 year after the earthquake, including factors affecting iodine status.

510 healthy pregnant women were included in the study. A questionnaire was given to pregnant women after the earthquake to assess changes in diet and other social factors. Thyroid function, autoantibodies, thyroglobulin, urinary iodine concentration (UIC), creatinine (Cr) levels, and ultrasound were measured. Thyroid ultrasound was also performed to assess thyroid volume.

The median UIC of the participants was 91.27 μg/g Cr (Q1-Q3 = 62.53-142.86). The rate of low iodine status (<150 μg/g Cr) was 77.3% and the incidence of goiter was 19.2%. After the earthquake, 69% of pregnant women lived in urban areas and 31% in rural areas. 11.8% of the areas where they lived were moderately damaged, 11.4% severely damaged, and 5.9% completely destroyed. 15.1% were still living in temporary shelters 1 year after the earthquake. The risk of low UIC was 2.2 times higher for those living in temporary shelters after the earthquake.

Temporary shelters after the earthquake were the main risk factor for low iodine status. We need to support these groups after disasters and reduce the number of people living in temporary shelters.

The aim was to document sociodemographic and clinical data of patients with musculoskeletal injuries who applied to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic after the earthquake, to share experiences, and thus contribute to preparation for subsequent disasters.

The study was planned as retrospective, cross-sectional, and analytic. A total of N = 230 earthquake victims, 105 (45.7%) males and 125 (54.3%) females, aged between 1 and 79, were included in our study.

Regarding injury location, the lower extremity was primarily affected with N = 125 (54.3%). The number of amputated patients was N = 29 (12.6%), and the most common location was transfemoral amputation with N = 14 (6.1%) patients. The number of fractures was N = 130 (56.5%), and the most common fracture site was the lower extremity in N = 66 (28.7%) patients. N = 162 (70.4%) of the patients had soft tissue injuries. There was peripheral nerve damage in N = 76 (33%) of the earthquake victims; the most frequently damaged nerve was the peroneal nerve in N = 36 (15.7%) patients. A vertebral fracture was present in N = 9 (3.9%) patients, and the most frequently fractured vertebra was the lumbar vertebra in 11 (4.8%) patients.

Defining the profiles of patients with musculoskeletal injuries in the early period, determining their needs, and including them in the rehabilitation program will ensure successful functional gain.

To describe the results of the Federal Center for Disaster Medicine field hospital work in an outpatient setting in Aleppo, Syria, during the delayed period after the earthquake (from days 33 to 67) for 35 days.

A retrospective analysis of routinely collected patient data from March 10 to April 13, 2023, was conducted. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patient demographics, disease spectrum (according to ICD-10), and procedures.

6812 patients were examined and consulted by various specialists. Of all patients, 40.6% were under the age of 18. In adults, the most commonly diagnosed conditions were diseases of the musculoskeletal system (27.1%), eye diseases (12.0%), circulatory diseases (10.1%), and respiratory diseases (10.0%). Among children, the most common reasons for admission were infectious diseases (68.9%), with respiratory tract infections being the most frequent (48.0%). Surgical interventions were performed in 150 cases; 61 patients required hospitalization.

During disasters, the needs of the population for various types of medical care vary significantly. The main causes of variability, in our opinion, are the time period of work from the disaster onset; the situation in the country and in the healthcare system, preceding the disaster; the climatic conditions during work; and the local endemicity of diseases.

Earthquakes cause significant mortality and morbidity, particularly through crush injuries and their complications. This study aimed to evaluate whether systemic immune inflammation index (SII) and Pan-immune inflammatory values (PIV) obtained from complete blood count parameters can predict intensive care needs, dialysis requirements, and mortality in patients with crush injuries following earthquake.

We retrospectively analyzed data from 76 patients with crush injuries admitted to a university hospital following the earthquake. Blood samples were collected upon admission. SII and PIV were calculated and compared with conventional laboratory markers for their ability to predict clinical outcomes.

Intensive care unit (ICU) admission was required in 40.8% of patients, and 21.1% required dialysis. In ROC analysis, an SII value above 1372 predicted ICU admission with 67.7% sensitivity and 66.7% specificity (P < .001), while an SII value above 1735 predicted dialysis requirement with 75.0% sensitivity and 73.3% specificity (P < .001). Similarly, a PIV value above 1345 predicted ICU admission with 74.2% sensitivity and 73.3% specificity (P < .001), and a value above 1906 predicted dialysis requirement with 81.3% sensitivity and 78.3% specificity (P < .001).

Complete blood count-derived inflammatory markers may serve as accessible, early indicators to complement clinical assessment for resource allocation following earthquake-related crush injuries, particularly in resource-limited disaster settings. These tools may aid in patient triage and care planning when comprehensive laboratory testing is limited.