Women's experiences in the aftermath of the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye: A phenomenological study

Abstract

This study aimed to understand women's experiences related to health problems and needs after the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake, considered the “disaster of the century.” This study employed phenomenology, a qualitative research methodology, and used criterion sampling, a type of purposive sampling. The participants included women who had experienced both the major Kahramanmaraş earthquakes; whose houses were damaged in the earthquakes; who had to live in tents, cars, or other shelters; and who had been in the earthquake zone for about a month. Semi-structured interviews were used as a data collection tool to elicit women's thoughts and experiences after the earthquakes. The interviews were conducted face-to-face in a calm environment by taking the necessary precautions and recording the audio with the participants' written consent. The interviews lasted at least 25 min and at most 45 min. For evaluating the data, the researchers used descriptive and content analyses. After transcribing the voice recordings, the researchers created the code categories and themes. The study identified four themes: “burden of responsibility,” “security,” “care needs,” and “male dominance.” Using participants' statements directly in the findings increased the study's internal validity. The study's findings indicate that women continued to fulfill their social, childcare, and family care roles after the earthquakes. The findings suggest that during this period, women faced housing and security problems, their special needs were ignored, their needs were affected by male dominance, and they were subjected to physical and psychological violence.