Evaluation of disaster consciousness perceptions and attitudes of Aksaray University Faculty of Health Sciences students

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the disaster consciousness perceptions and attitudes of the students in the Aksaray University Faculty of Health Sciences and to determine the factors associated with them. The study is a descriptive epidemiological research. The data of the study were collected between 15 March and 5 April 2022 using the data collection form prepared by the researchers, in which the Disaster Consciousness Perception Scale and the Disaster Attitude Scale were added. 59.0% of the students included in the research were reached. 69.0% of the students are women. The mean age was found to be 21.7±1.9 years. The highest participation in the study was from the Nursing department (72.5%), and the least from the Health Management department (39.4%). 57.4% of the students did not experience a disaster, and earthquakes (89.8%) were the most common disaster experienced by those who experienced disasters. The average of the disaster consciousness perception scores of the students was found to be 128.01±13,8, and this value was evaluated as medium. Post-disaster consciousness levels were found to be significantly higher in males than females, 22 years of age and above than 21 years of age and below, those in the Emergency and Disaster Management department than the other two departments, those who took part in disasters than those who did not, those who were members of NGOs / Public Organizations than those who were not. The average of their answers to the disaster attitude scale was also evaluated as 3.2, at a moderate level, cognitive and behavioral attitudes were found to be significantly higher in males than females, in Emergency and Disaster Management departments than in the other two departments, in 2nd and 4th grade than in 1st grade, in those who took part in disasters than in those who did not, and in those who were members of NGOs/Public Institutions than in those who were not. In line with these findings, it would be useful to carry out studies to improve memberships in NGOs/Public Organizations and to provide training to students who want to receive disaster training. It was concluded that there is a 63.0% same-directional relationship between disaster education consciousness and pre-disaster consciousness, while there is a 32.0% inverse relationship with false disaster consciousness.