Disaster Management and Social Work Students' Willingness to Work in Disaster: A Cross-Sectional Study

The negative effects of disasters can be reduced through disaster management strategies, joint practices, experiences, preparedness plans, and mitigation efforts. This study aims to determine the willingness of Emergency Aid and Disaster Management (EDM) and Social Work (SW) students studying in two different departments of a state university to work in disasters. This descriptive research was conducted by applying a face-to-face survey to 561 students. Relationships between variables were examined with chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. 85.2% (n=179) of EDM students are willing to work, 0.9% (n=2) are not willing, 56.6% (n=197) of SW students are willing to work. 6.6% are willing to work. (n=23) are not willing. Two variables were identified to determine the willingness of EDM students: gender (OR: 0.317, CI: 0.134-0.751) and membership in a disaster-related Non governmental organization (OR: 0.003, CI: 1.533-8.082). It was found that the variable explaining SW students' willingness was membership in a disaster-related NGO (OR: 0.378, CI: 1.770-7.789). In order for students to gain the desire to work in disasters, the needs of applied education should be met, and similar supportive initiatives should be encouraged in various areas of education.