University Students’ Sustainable Earthquake Awareness and its Determinants: Toward a Culture of Disaster Preparedness

Earthquakes are among the most frequent and destructive natural disasters in Türkiye, underscoring the critical need for promoting sustainable disaster awareness among young populations. This study examined university students’ sustainable earthquake awareness and explored the factors associated with their awareness levels. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 429 students who voluntarily participated between November 2024 and January 2025. Data were collected online through a structured questionnaire that included sociodemographic characteristics, past disaster experiences, preparedness-related behaviors, and the Sustainable Earthquake Awareness Scale (SEAS). Descriptive statistics, appropriate parametric and nonparametric tests, and linear regression analyses were used to assess the relationships among variables. The mean SEAS score was 51.80 (SD = 13.27), indicating that overall awareness levels were lower than expected. Regression analysis revealed that being male, having a psychiatric condition, possessing knowledge of disaster preparedness plans, and having personal or family plans were significant predictors of higher sustainable earthquake awareness. These findings highlight the need for targeted educational and institutional initiatives to enhance disaster preparedness and build a more resilient culture within university settings.