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BACKGROUND: Earthquakes are intense and erratic natural disasters that can drastically affect both human lives and the surroundings. The two major earthquakes that hit Turkey on February 6, 2023, affected 11 cities, leading to significant loss of life and widespread injuries. This study analyzes the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) components and influencing factors in child and adolescent victims of these earthquakes. METHODS: The study participants were children and adolescents affected by the Kahramanmaras earthquakes who visited the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department at Adana City Research and Training Hospital in Adana, Turkey. Kinder Lebensqualitätsfragebogen: Children's Quality of Life Questionnaire-revised (KINDL-R) was used to evaluate HRQoL, Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) was used to assess depression, Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale-13 (CRIES-13) was used to determine posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) was used to investigate posttraumatic growth (PTG). RESULTS: While the KINDL-R total score, emotional well-being, family, social, and school subscores were significantly higher in the control group, the CRIES-13 total score, intrusion, and arousal subscores, CDI total score, and PTGI total score were higher in the patient group. Regression analysis demonstrated that PTSD negatively impacted the KINDL-R total score, while PTG had a positive effect. CONCLUSIONS: For children and adolescents exposed to natural disasters, HRQoL may decline, with emotional status, family and social relationships, and academic performance potentially suffering. PTSD and PTG may emerge as key factors influencing the overall quality of life in this population.
Güneş et al. (Fri,) studied this question.