Psychological Preparedness for Disasters in Future Healthcare Workers: The Role of Education and Experience

Türkiye's recurrent exposure to natural disasters necessitates a well-prepared health care workforce, particularly in terms of psychological readiness. This study investigates the psychological preparedness of undergraduate students enrolled in the Faculty of Health Sciences, with attention to demographic and experiential variables that may influence preparedness levels.

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 514 undergraduate students enrolled in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Participants were recruited on a voluntary basis, and data were collected through face-to-face surveys using the Psychological Preparedness for Disaster Threat Scale and a personal information form. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, ANOVA, and MANOVA.

Preparedness levels differed significantly by gender, age, department, and disaster experience (P <.05). Emergency and Disaster Management students scored the highest. MANOVA confirmed a significant departmental effect (Wilks' lambda = .891, F(12, 1366) = 4.24, P <.001). Students with prior disaster exposure demonstrated significantly higher levels of psychological preparedness.

The findings underscore the critical role of structured disaster education and psychological resilience training within health sciences curricula. Integrating simulation-based learning approaches, gender-sensitive instructional content, and targeted psychosocial support systems may enhance the preparedness of future health care professionals for disaster response.