Indirect Disaster-Related Media Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and Sleep Quality Following the 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes - 21/06/26

Doi : 10.1016/j.ejtd.2026.100713

Hacer Demirkol ^1,^⁎ , Ebru Savucu ²

¹ Yozgat Bozok University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Department, Yozgat, Türkiye

² Manisa Celal Bayar University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Fundamental of Nursing Department, Manisa, Türkiye

^⁎ Corresponding author: Hacer Demirkol, PhD, Yozgat Bozok University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Department, Yozgat, Türkiye, Phone number: +90 555 889 91 81 Yozgat Bozok University Faculty of Health Sciences Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Department Yozgat Türkiye

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Abstract

Background

The associations between disaster-related media exposure, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and sleep quality among adults residing outside disaster-affected areas remain insufficiently understood.

Objective

This study aimed to examine the associations of disaster-related media exposure (type and self-rated level) with PTSS and sleep quality, and to explore the potential mediating roles of PTSS and sleep quality in these associations.

Method

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 338 adults residing outside the provinces officially affected by the February 6, 2023, Türkiye earthquakes. Data were collected between May 2023 and February 2024 using an Introductory Information Form, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and exploratory mediation analyses.

Results

The mean IES-R and PSQI scores were 27.10 ± 16.00 and 5.37 ± 3.59, respectively. Elevated PTSS was observed in 32.5% of participants, and 51.8% reported poor sleep quality. Compared with very high media exposure, all lower exposure levels were associated with lower PTSS, whereas all lower exposure levels except high exposure were associated with better sleep quality (p≤.05). Media type was not significantly associated with either outcome (p>.05). Exploratory mediation analyses suggested that PTSS statistically mediated the association between disaster-related media exposure and sleep quality across all exposure levels, whereas sleep quality statistically mediated the association between disaster-related media exposure and PTSS except at the high exposure level.

Conclusion

The findings highlight the importance of understanding the associations between PTSS and sleep quality in the context of disaster-related media exposure following large-scale disasters. Future longitudinal and experimental studies are needed to clarify these associations.

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Keywords : Disaster, Posttraumatic stress symptoms, Sleep quality, Earthquakes, Media exposure

Plan

The material of this manuscript has not been published previously and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Furthermore, all authors have approved the final article and that all those entitled to authorship are listed as authors. All authors have made substantial contribution in the conception and design of the study, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the article, revising it critically for important intellectual content and final approval of the version to be submitted.