Smoking after the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes: Smoking-related environmental conditions and psychological dependence in temporary shelter sites.
Source: PubMed, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine
This study aimed to examine smoking prevalence, smoking-related environmental conditions in temporary shelter sites, and psychological dependence on smoking among earthquake survivors living in the 11 provinces affected by the February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye. This cross-sectional and exploratory study was conducted in Türkiye between September 2024 and January 2025 among individuals affected by the February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, using an online self-administered questionnaire. A total of 455 participants were included. Data were collected on smoking status, changes in smoking behavior after the earthquake, perceptions of smoking-related environmental conditions in shelter sites, and psychological dependence using the Scale for the Assessment of Psychological Dependence on Smoking. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics. Group comparisons were performed using chi-square tests and independent-samples t tests. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with psychological dependence. Overall, 25.1% of participants were current smokers. Although the study did not directly measure pre-earthquake smoking prevalence, many current smokers retrospectively reported increased cigarette consumption after the earthquake. More than half of smokers reported increased cigarette consumption, and 3.5% of current smokers initiated smoking after the earthquake. Most par
Abstract
This study aimed to examine smoking prevalence, smoking-related environmental conditions in temporary shelter sites, and psychological dependence on smoking among earthquake survivors living in the 11 provinces affected by the February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye. This cross-sectional and exploratory study was conducted in Türkiye between September 2024 and January 2025 among individuals affected by the February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, using an online self-administered questionnaire. A total of 455 participants were included. Data were collected on smoking status, changes in smoking behavior after the earthquake, perceptions of smoking-related environmental conditions in shelter sites, and psychological dependence using the Scale for the Assessment of Psychological Dependence on Smoking. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics. Group comparisons were performed using chi-square tests and independent-samples t tests. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with psychological dependence. Overall, 25.1% of participants were current smokers. Although the study did not directly measure pre-earthquake smoking prevalence, many current smokers retrospectively reported increased cigarette consumption after the earthquake. More than half of smokers reported increased cigarette consumption, and 3.5% of current smokers initiated smoking after the earthquake. Most participants reported limited smoking regulation and a lack of designated smoking areas in temporary shelter sites. Among smokers, the mean psychological dependence score indicated moderate dependence. In the multivariable model, higher daily cigarette consumption (B = 0.180, p = 0.006) and smoking to control anxiety (B = 3.708, p = 0.032) were independently associated with psychological dependence. The model explained 25.0% of the variance in psychological dependence scores (R² = 0.25). Smoking after earthquakes may be influenced by both environmental and psychological factors. Integrating smoke-free shelter policies, designated smoking areas, smoking cessation support, and psychosocial services into disaster response may help reduce smoking-related health burdens among disaster survivors.