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Background: On 6 February 2023, an Mw 7.8 earthquake struck southern and central Türkiye and north-western Syria, affecting the lives of 4.6 and 2.5 million children, respectively. In such crises, infants who are dependent on commercial milk formula (CMF) face increased vulnerability to diseases and malnutrition as safe preparation of CMF becomes difficult and sometimes impossible. The Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (OG-IFE) provides guidance on protecting and supporting recommended infant and young child feeding and minimizing the risks that come with CMF feeding. In addition, the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (the Code) ensures adequate nutrition for infants by protecting and promoting breastfeeding and ensuring the proper usage of CMF. This study aims to document violations of the Code and the OG-IFE during the earthquake relief efforts to help strengthen infant and young child feeding emergency responses and inform future disaster relief policies. Methods: Data was collected from 6 February to 10 March 2023 through Internet sources. Social media, news websites, and the Emergency Nutrition Network forum were used for data collection. Turkish content was translated into English for analysis, with a focus on donation-related information and Code violations related to baby food and infant feeding. Results: A total of 40 reports on CMF, complementary food, and feeding equipment donations were collected. Three main types of violations of the OG-IFE and the Code were identified, with the majority of them being incidences of individuals, humanitarian organizations, and government agencies seeking or accepting donations. Infant formula companies continued to violate the Code by donating large quantities of CMF and feeding equipment to the Turkish Red Crescent, government agencies, and disaster relief infant and young child feeding (IYCF) coordination authorities. Conclusions: These incidents reflected a systematic violation of the Code and non-compliance with the OG-IFE. Globally accepted IYCF standards and recommendations were not consistently followed due to fragmented early responses. There is a critical need to step up efforts to ensure appropriate and safe IYCF practice protecting and supporting breastfed and non-breastfed infants in emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate individuals' disaster literacy levels, their thoughts on disaster management services, and related factors. Method: The descriptive research was conducted with a total of 480 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 living in a province in the first‐degree earthquake zone in Turkey. The data were collected with the Disaster Literacy Scale and the Disaster Management Services Evaluation Form. Results: In this study, it was found that more than half of the participants had inadequate/moderate disaster literacy. The total disaster literacy score and all subscale scores were found to be higher in individuals who had an earthquake kit at home, had an emergency plan, and had received disaster‐related training (p <.05). The majority of the participants found the services provided for disaster management inadequate or very inadequate. Conclusions: In this study, it has been found that a significant portion of the society lacks the desired level of disaster literacy, and the services provided for disasters are deemed insufficient therefore, there is a need for multi‐disciplinary national prevention programs to enhance disaster literacy and preparedness in the community, as well as urgently supporting policies to improve disaster‐related services. Additionally, due to their comprehensive knowledge of the general structure of society, public health nurses need to play an active role in disaster preparedness and increasing disaster literacy levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to determine nurses' views of their competence in disaster nursing management. Background: It is an important responsibility of nurses to have the necessary knowledge and skills for the management of disasters and to be prepared for disasters. For this responsibility to be effectively demonstrated, it is important to determine the disaster management competencies of the nurses. Methods: A descriptive, cross‐sectional, and comparative research design was used in this study. The study population consisted of all nurses in Turkey (N = 227 292). According to the power analysis, the goal was to recruit 599 nurses working between March and April 2021 using a simple random sampling method. However, 530 nurses answered the questionnaire. The response rate is 88.5%. Data were collected online using a sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire and the Competencies for Disaster Nursing Management Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences at a significance level of 0.05. Results: There was a positive correlation between nurses' duties and responsibilities in disaster management, barriers to developing basic competencies, and nurses' basic competencies in disaster management (p < 0.001). Nurses have inadequate competencies in disaster management for various reasons. The study was reported with the STROBE checklist. Conclusion: Although nurses think they have core competencies, they are not prepared for disasters for various reasons. Implications for nursing and nursing policy: Hospitals should provide nurses with more duties and responsibilities regarding disaster management. Administrators should involve nurses in plans, decisions, and practices regarding disaster management. Decision‐makers should develop policies and training programs to remove the barriers preventing nurses from acquiring competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aim Methods Findings Conclusions Implications for nursing and health policy Turkey has faced a notable escalation in earthquake disasters in the last two decades. Despite initiating a health and disaster management system, nurses' pivotal roles and experiences in handling such crises have been disregarded.This qualitative study analyzed nurses' experiences before, during, and after deployment in response to the 2023 Turkey earthquakes to enhance disaster‐response efforts.This descriptive qualitative study was conducted between March and May 2023 using semistructured interviews with 15 nurses purposively  sampled among those who volunteered to work in the earthquake zone. The MIRACLE and COREQ guidelines were followed for reporting qualitative research.The analysis exposed five main themes for pre‐tasking: moral obligation, motivation, insufficient experience, balancing responsibilities, and preparation challenges. The peri‐task themes include responsibilities, skills, bravery and characteristics, workload management, teamwork, and outcomes. Post‐tasking has three themes: competence assessment, career goals and aspirations, and support. Training and coping with anxiety and stress are common themes for all phases.Disaster relief requires a comprehensive and coordinated response from healthcare organizations, government agencies, and support systems. Providing adequate training, ensuring safety protocols, offering mental health support, and fostering a fair and supportive work environment are crucial steps in mitigating the adverse effects on nurses and, by extension, the patient care process in earthquake‐affected areas.Nurse training in disaster preparedness should cover various response methods and involve multiple disciplines. Managers can help by arranging drills, simulations, online courses, and workshops and promoting partnerships for improved collaboration. Psychological support should be included to address emotional challenges. Regularly updating response policies based on past experiences is crucial for preparedness and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Background Methods Results Discussion Conclusion Implications for nursing policy To examine the relationship between nurses' competency levels in disaster nursing management, their disaster preparedness and disaster preparedness beliefs.Nurses’ competency in disaster nursing management makes disaster response easier. Factors that may affect this reason should be examined.The study was conducted between April and July 2023 with nurses working in a province in the first‐degree earthquake zone in Turkey. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 207 nurses who were selected from primary, secondary, and tertiary care institutions by using the stratified sampling method. Data were collected with a personal information form, the Competencies for Disaster Nursing Management Questionnaire, the Disaster Preparedness Scale, and the General Disaster Preparedness Beliefs Scale. Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests, Spearman regression coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data.There was a positive correlation between nurses' competency levels regarding duties and responsibilities and their disaster preparedness levels. Having disaster‐related training also positively affected the level of competence in duties and responsibilities. Belief in disaster preparedness and having “partial” knowledge about the disaster had no relationship with competencies.According to the International Council of Nurses and current studies on disaster nursing, “competence areas” are among the priority study subjects.According to the study results, disaster preparedness and having disaster‐related education are effective factors in nurses' competencies related to duties and responsibilities.The results of this study may increase awareness in the healthcare system about nurses' disaster management competency levels and the factors that may affect this. It is recommended that disaster preparedness and disaster‐related education factors should be taken into account in the initiatives and policies to be planned to improve the duty and responsibility competence of nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster management includes efforts to reduce the negative effects of a disaster. This management system has various challenges. Teams need to be sent to disaster areas as soon as possible to reduce losses and damages. Turkey, which frequently experiences earthquake disasters, has recently experienced the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. After the recent earthquakes, the Great Marmara Earthquake, which scientists emphasize the most, has started to be discussed. It is said that Istanbul will be affected very much. Possible earthquake scenarios with a magnitude of 7.5 have been produced. In this study, Adalar district, which will be affected by the Great Marmara Earthquake, is considered and the problem of assigning teams to very heavily damaged buildings is discussed. For the continuation of the study, the data in the Istanbul Province Adalar District Possible Earthquake Loss Estimates Booklet is used. The 413 severely damaged buildings in the 5 neighborhoods where the destruction will occur and the number of building floors in the neighborhoods are taken into consideration. A mathematical model was created for the problem with the goal programming method. The model was solved with the Cplex solver of IBM ILOG optimization program. Thus, the optimal team assignment was realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the vital importance of infrastructure protection and risk management in the context of the devastating 2023 earthquake in Turkey, which resulted in over 50,000 deaths and left 1.5 million homeless. Highlighting the consequences of inadequate infrastructure and government failure to enforce building standards, the study stresses similar risks in countries like Kosovo and North Macedonia. It argues for enhanced government regulation, improved urban planning, and robust international collaboration in disaster response to better prepare for and mitigate future seismic events. Through a detailed analysis of the Turkey earthquake, the paper provides essential insights into creating more resilient and disaster-ready communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis qualitative study explores the experiences of older adult earthquake survivors in Türkiye, focusing on the intersectional challenges they faced after the earthquake of 6 February 2023. Older adults often have multiple vulnerabilities, such as age-related physical limitations, socioeconomic status, health conditions, and social isolation, which exacerbate their risks and needs during disasters. Using semi-structured interviews with 22 participants from different affected regions, this qualitative descriptive study sheds light on their problems with mobility, access to basic needs, and psychological distress. Using an intersectional framework, it explores how factors such as independence in transport, housing conditions, and family structure influence their experiences. The research emphasizes the importance of tailoring emergency response systems to address these unique challenges, including housing, healthcare, and psychosocial support. The findings show that older adults face both immediate physical and psychological challenges as well as long-term adaptation difficulties, emphasizing the need for comprehensive, inclusive disaster preparedness and response strategies. This study contributes to the literature by detailing the intersectional experiences of older earthquake survivors and advocating for policies and practices that ensure equitable support and resource allocation and ultimately promote more resilient communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate the damage from and prepare for disasters, individuals and communities should be involved in the disaster risk reduction efforts. Communicating the risk effectively is the essential step of this involvement. Risk communication is a multidisciplinary field. Disaster managers have to work closely with the media, among other partners, but there is a gap in their understanding of each other's roles. This study aims to explore the process of publishing and broadcasting earthquake information through the experiences of media professionals, to understand how journalists and news organizations function before and after disasters, and to provide evidence to help bridge the gap between disaster managers and/or public health authorities and disaster journalists and/or news organizations., especially in earthquake preparedness. Thirteen in-depth interviews were conducted with editors/journalists from national newspapers and TV channels. A good context for investigating these issues is afforded by the megacity Istanbul and the Turkish media. Turkey is a land of earthquakes. A further strong earthquake is expected to hit in the near future. The findings, which gave valuable hints for better collaboration, are presented according to the focus of the question guide: time of and norms for publishing or broadcasting news or information about earthquakes; content of the news or information; disaster journalism and guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a disaster education intervention on children's risk perception and preparedness. It also sought to advance longitudinal studies, during an 18‐month time period, of risk perception and preparedness by using a quasi‐experimental methodology in child‐centred disaster research. This study used a quasi‐experimental longitudinal research design to measure the effects of disaster education on children. These effects were examined on children's risk perception and preparedness in the Van and Kocaeli provinces of Türkiye during the 18‐month period, with a sample of 720 school children. Experimental and control groups were randomly allocated, controlling for age, school grade and school enrolment. The disaster education intervention was designed to improve the children's awareness of natural hazards and their knowledge of disaster risk reduction using discussion, visual materials and interactive teaching of emergency management. The results indicate that the disaster education intervention had a positive effect on children's risk perception and perceived importance of preparedness in both study locations. It also helped children to understand the risks and hazards in their living environments. More importantly, this study showed that disaster education enhanced the protective measures taken by children for disasters. This is the first study using the quasi‐experimental longitudinal research design to measure the effects of disaster education on children's risk perception and the importance of preparedness. The findings are of relevance for organisations such as government departments and non‐government organisations when designing or improving disaster education programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public information and early warning are key components of social disaster prevention because they can complement planning, and multi-disciplinary coordination and minimize losses. Social media has increasingly become an important communication channel for users to disseminate useful public and emergency information in these incidents. Communications, including web-based services, between governments, communities, and people involved in the management of disasters are mandatory for the purposes of early warning, rescue services, and recovery. Purpose of this article is exploring how people may use or had used the social media applications during the disaster and provide the advantages of social media in disaster management all over the world but specifically for citizens of Türkiye and Iraq. To get the response of the users, a Google form based survey questionnaire was distributed to the users through the internet. Two hundred and eleven persons, from both genders responded, ages ranged from 17 years to above 45, from different educational levels, inhabiting Türkiye (n = 105, 49.8%), Iraq (n = 88, 41.7%), and other countries (n = 18, 8.5%). The study shows that depending on the culture, social media usage behaviors change for disaster situations. During the disaster, Iraqi citizens preferred to use the Facebook application, meanwhile Türkish citizens prefer to use WhatsApp application to communicate. Both, governments and private sector, are invited to establish and continuously update the infrastructure and facilities of an effective social media communication system, plans should be made to encourage all sectors of society to learn how to use social media in the event of a disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present cross-sectional study, we determined the self-efficacy of nurses to apply psychological first aid (PFA) during disasters. The study sample consisted of 580 nurses working in Turkey. The data were collected online between July and November 2022 using the "Personal Information Form" and the "PFA Application Self-Efficacy Scale." The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods (number, percentage, mean, and standard deviation), generalized linear models, Bon-ferroni correction, and linear regression analysis. The mean PFA scale scores of male nurses, nurses working in intensive care units, working as service nurses, nurses who have previously received PFA training and applied PFA in disaster situations were higher. Moreover, 91.3% of nurses did not receive PFA training and 90.3% did not receive PFA service earlier, 31.0% did not apply for PFA, 18.3% did not know about PFA. The mean score of the PFA practice self-efficacy scale of nurses was 131.61 ± 19.41. There exists an urgent requirement to develop nurses' PFA application self-efficacy. It is recommended that nurses should be provided repeated PFA training and applied studies focusing on PFA interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of the study is to determine the disaster preparedness perceptions, psychological resilences and empathy levels of nurses after 2023 Great Turkiye Earthquake. Method: This descriptive study was conducted in 2023 using with E‐Anket. This study was carried out with voluntary participation of 464 nurses living in different geographical regions of Turkiye. The data of the study were obtained utilizing Nurses' Disasters Prepardeness Perception Scale (NDPPS), Pyschological Resileince Scale (PRS) and Empathy Scale (ES). Results: In this study, the disaster preparedness perception of the nurses was found to be at medium level. More than half of the nurses (65.1%) reported that they did not received any disaster training before. A meaningful was found between the nurses' disaster preparedness perceptions and their empathy levels and psychological resilence. Conclusions: As in many countries, it is possible to state that also in Turkiye, the training of nurses for disasters are inadequate and that the studies on this subject are limited. This study will provide a theoretical platform to develop nurses' awareness of disaster preparedness and pyschological resilience and empathic approach programs to increase disaster resilience, and to conduct future research on disaster nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the additional burden of earthquakes on asbestos risks in Türkiye. It highlights that asbestos, despite being a natural mineral, has adverse health effects on humans and is linked to various diseases, including cancer. Asbestos is currently used in over 3000 products, increasing the risk of exposure and related diseases. Earthquakes can contribute to the spread of asbestos fibers through damaged or collapsed buildings, posing a significant threat to public health. The article emphasizes the need for comprehensive measures to reduce the asbestos burden and improve waste management capacity in disaster preparedness plans. [Extracted from the article]

This article, titled "A Miraculous Rescue of Two Siblings from the Earthquake Rubble in Türkiye," discusses the incredible rescue of two siblings from the rubble of an earthquake in Turkey. The earthquake, which occurred in February 2023, resulted in the deaths of over 50,000 people and left thousands disabled. Despite thermal cameras indicating that there were no survivors under the rubble, the rescue team was able to locate and save the two children. The article emphasizes the importance of spiritual and religious teachings in medical practice and suggests that some events, such as this miraculous rescue, cannot be explained solely through scientific knowledge. [Extracted from the article]

This study aims to examine the short-term price reactions of the stocks listed on Borsa Istanbul (BIST) after the severe earthquake of February 6, 2023, that happened in the southeastern region of Türkiye covering 11 provinces and causing more than 50,000 fatalities. Using a sample of 450 companies listed on the BIST All Index, this study estimates the abnormal returns (ARs) of stocks by employing an event study methodology. Using BIST 100 companies as a sub-sample, this study also explores whether sustainability performance creates resilience against downside risk after the earthquake. The results of the market model and the mean-adjusted model show that on the event day, most of the sectors had negative and significant ARs, while only the non-metal mineral products had positive and significant ARs. Most of the sectors continued to decline in the following 10 days except basic metal and non-metal mineral products sectors. The telecommunications sector was the most negatively affected sector in both models after the event day as it has underperformed in ensuring uninterrupted access to communication. The findings also indicate that firms in the financial sector that have higher sustainability performance are more resilient in responding to the disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquakes are expected to increase in intensity and frequency in regions like Anatolia, Arabia, Persia, and North Africa due to intensive oil extraction over decades. This highlights the need for innovative approaches to effectively address and mitigate the consequences of such seismic events. Here, I propose the development and utilization of tent as a cost-effective and viable alternative to traditional and high-rise cement-based constructions, aiming to reduce earthquake damages. With a rich history in nomadic practices, tents can be strengthened by integrating cutting-edge technologies that make them adaptable, climate-responsive, and earthquake-resistant solutions. By using natural materials like wool and cotton enhanced with waterproof and fireproof properties, tents can provide both comfort and versatility in various weather conditions. The goal of habitation is to furnish a secure and comfortable living space with essential amenities for safety and well-being. Tent-based communities could present an eco-friendly housing alternative and reduce the impact of destructive earthquakes by minimizing debris and rubble. In warm regions, tents can serve as year-round habitable spaces. Establishing tent cities or villages in such areas can effectively mitigate earthquake damages while also promoting sustainability and a healthy lifestyle. Skillfully extrapolating and adapting traditional urban design to tent-based materials could offer the potential to construct fully functional smart-tent cities that provide contemporary living comforts and safeguard against earthquakes and climate challenges. With modern manufacturing capabilities and urban planning, tents can benefit from advanced design principles to deliver safety, comfort, and an enduring ability to weather adverse climate conditions and earthquake damages. • Climate change and earthquakes are predicated to worsen worldwide. • The purpose of habitation is to ensure the safety and comfort of residents. • Developing urbanized tent cities can help alleviate the impact of earthquakes. • In regions with mild climates, tents can offer year-round housing solutions. • Tent cities can minimize environmental impact while offering a healthy, eco-friendly living space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]