28th National Clinical Education Symposium Presentation Abstracts

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OP-38 Association Between Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies and Depression and Anxiety in Infertile Women - Page 116
Raziye Akman Erdoğan, Bengü Yücens

OP-39 A Retrospective Evaluation of Antipsychotic Selection in Patients Diagnosed with Delirium During Psychiatric Consultations at Pamukkale University Hospital Over the Last Year - Page 117
Engin Ergül, Bengü Yücens

OP-40 Lactose intolerance symptoms, irritable bowel syndrome and symptom severity in patients with major depressive and anxiety disorders under antidepressant treatment - Page 118
Habib Berhan Akyıldız, Sinan Yetkin

OP-41 Extrapyramidal symptom severity across neuroanatomical subtypes of schizophrenia identified by machine learning - Page 120
Ibrahim Sungur, Simay Selek, Gozde Bildircin, Ali Saffet Gonul

OP-42 A Retrospective Analysis of the Clinical Characteristics, Substance Use Profiles, and Discharge Treatments of Patients Hospitalized in the AMATEM Service - Page 122
Ihsan Anil Dogruyol, Bengü Yücens

OP-43 Cognitive Subtyping in Schizophrenia: An Analysis of Neuropsychological Profiles, Clinical Symptomatology, and the Impact of Illness Duration using the COBRE Dataset - Page 123
Melike Nur Altunç, Ali Tarık Altunç, Yusuf Çiçek, Abdullah Ekrem Okur, Halil Aziz Velioglu

20 APRIL 2026, MONDAY
15:30 - 16:45 OP-37 Frequency of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Associated Factors Among Survivors of Van Avalanche: 6-Month Follow-up Study

OP-37 Frequency of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Associated Factors Among Survivors of Van Avalanche: 6-Month Follow-up Study

Elif Sütçü1, Faruk Kurhan1

1. DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY, YÜZÜNCÜ YIL UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF MEDİCİNE,VAN,TÜRKİYE

DOI: 10.5080/61upk.ozt454 Page 115

BACKGROUND AND AIM:Avalanche disasters are life-threatening events that may cause severe and long-lasting psychological consequences. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is one of the most frequently observed psychiatric outcomes following disasters. Although avalanches occur relatively often in Turkey, particularly in the eastern regions, there is a lack of research examining their psychiatric effects. Rescue workers, especially volunteers, are exposed to intense trauma during disaster response and may be at increased risk for PTSD.
METHODS (Ethics Committee Approval must be obtained and the number should be specified.):This study included 35 male rescue workers who were trapped under two consecutive avalanches that occurred in Van’s Bahçesaray district in 2020. Participants were assessed through face-to-face clinical interviews at two and six months after the disaster. PTSD diagnosis was made according to DSM-5 criteria using clinical evaluations and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale–Self Report (PSSSR). Trauma severity was measured using the Impact of Event Scale (IES). Sociodemographic and disaster-related risk factors were also recorded.(Ethics Committee Approval no: 2020/03-27)
RESULTS:PTSD prevalence was 71.4% at two months and decreased to 57.1% at six months after the avalanche. Longer duration under the avalanche (more than 30 minutes), being a volunteer rescuer, and having no prior disaster exposure were identified as significant risk factors for PTSD. Although symptom severity decreased over time, PTSD symptoms remained common, particularly among volunteer rescuers.
CONCLUSIONS:Avalanche disasters are associated with a high and persistent risk of PTSD among rescue workers. Professional training, psychological preparedness, and prior disaster experience may have protective effects. These findings highlight the need for early psychosocial interventions, regular mental health screening, and sustained psychological support for individuals involved in disaster response. Keywords: Avalanche, Psychiatric Disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder