Determining the need for disaster preparedness education for individuals and families: The example of earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaras

The aim of this study is to identify the disaster education needs of individuals and families from the perspective of earthquake survivors and to present policy recommendations accordingly. The study was designed qualitatively and adopted a phenomenological design. Data were collected between February and March 2025 using a semi-structured interview form and face-to-face interviews. Data analysis was conducted using the licensed MAXQDA program, widely used in qualitative research. Expert opinions were sought at every stage of the study. The study concluded that the majority of participants exhibited unsafe behaviors and experienced intense fear and helplessness during the earthquake. The majority of participants expressed problems with the organization of evacuation processes. It was assessed that a high number of participants developed positive attitudes and behaviors toward receiving disaster education after the earthquake. It was understood that information about disasters and earthquakes is largely obtained from sources such as schools and social media. Furthermore, individual disaster preparedness plays a significant role in reducing the loss of life and property in a potential disaster. In light of these data, it was concluded that it is important to determine the need for disaster education at the social and individual levels, that individual-focused disaster education plans should be created and disaster awareness training should be carried out on a behavior-based basis.