Citation

Cénat JM, Derivois D. Int. J. Public Health 2023; 68: e1605986.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.3389/ijph.2023.1605986

PMID

37056517

PMCID

PMC10086120

Abstract

Since the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, many researchers have published insights on how to address the mental health needs of affected populations (1-3). After reading the ideas proposed with great interest, we found it necessary to provide evidence-based suggestions on how to address the mental health needs of earthquake-affected populations in Turkey and Syria, based on 13 years of intensive research on the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and observations made elsewhere (4-15). Although the social, political, economic, cultural, and religious contexts are different, we have identified overarching aspects and steps that can help to prevent mental health problems among populations affected by natural disasters and build resilience. In the case of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, these steps can help professionals, governments, communities, and international organizations better channel resources to build resilience in affected populations.

While interesting, the steps proposed by different researchers remain insufficient (1). Moreover, contrary to what they proposed, to better help prevent mental health problems, the primary concern should not be mental health itself. Affected populations are not ready to receive care in the moments following a natural disaster. Instead, the focus should be on the concrete and physical aspects of meeting the basic needs of survivors. Our research, based on both the mechanisms underlying mental health problems related to natural disasters and those related to building resilience, has allowed us to develop the following seven steps...

Language: en

Keywords

resilience; Turkey; mental health needs; Syria; earthquake