Project Description
The 2023 earthquake in Türkiye caused immense devastation, displacing thousands and inflicting profound trauma and grief upon survivors. This project aims to implement tailored group therapy sessions for bereaved individuals, addressing traumatic grief and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Group therapy programs have emerged as valuable tools in facilitating emotional regulation and grief processing among disaster survivors. However, limited research exists on the effectiveness of group therapies for individuals who have lost first-degree relatives in earthquakes. Understanding the psychological effects of earthquakes and exploring innovative interventions is paramount in addressing the long-term psychosocial needs of survivors. By integrating cognitive therapy with insights from Electroencephalography (EEG) measurements, this project offers novel strategies for emotional regulation and healing, enhancing post-disaster psychosocial support and resilience. Activities encompass providing group therapy sessions to 500 earthquake survivors for two years with Hatay Psychologists Association (HSA), EEG data collection, and statistical analysis.
The immediate goal is to assess the efficacy of the grief-focused psychosocial support program, providing insights for future post-disaster psychosocial interventions. Key objectives include evaluating trauma and grief responses using EEG techniques, comparing pre- and post-test scores, and analyzing emotional brain regions. Collaborating across disciplines, including neuroscientists, psychologists, social scientists, and legal experts, ensures a comprehensive approach to understanding trauma and grief.
The I-HOPE project is built upon robust collaborations with key stakeholders in psychology, academia, and community outreach. Collaborations include the Hatay Psychologists Association (HSA), along with experts in legal, administrative, and scientific domains. Established in February 2018, HSA has provided vital psychological support to those affected by the recent earthquake in Hatay, facilitating emergency psychological first aid, individual counseling, and group therapies, particularly focusing on children and adolescents. This collaboration will leverage invaluable experience in navigating post-disaster recovery complexities, aiming to synergize efforts in assessments, group therapy implementation, research dissemination, and addressing regulatory considerations.
Building Back Better in Hatay, Turkey: Co-Designing a Multi-Stakeholder, Multi-Risk Informed Urban Development Approach
Project Description
The February 2023 earthquakes in southeastern Türkiye highlighted the need for improved urban risk management systems and protective governance. Despite existing regulatory frameworks guiding construction and urban development, the widespread destruction pointed to the necessity of a new urban risk management approach. This approach should be based on multi-stakeholder awareness, capacity building, and a multi-hazard perspective that addresses complex and compounding risks. While Türkiye is highly prone to seismic hazards, it also increasingly faces climate change impacts, including heavy rains, heat waves, and drought conditions. Therefore, risk reduction and resilience-building projects in the country must adopt a comprehensive urban risk management approach and use integrated planning that considers climate adaptation.
This project aims to support dialogues and collaborative research in Hatay, Türkiye, to co-develop a comprehensive, multi-risk-informed urban planning and development approach. It focuses on including the needs of vulnerable populations, such as refugees, women, and children, in the effort to build back better. Collaboration with local partners is central to developing this urban risk management approach. The approach will consider multiple shocks and stresses, including geophysical and climatological hazards, as well as stresses arising from physical systems, governance, decision-making, and socio-economic processes. Given the historical and cultural importance of Hatay province, special attention will be given to its multicultural context, including the heritage of the built and social environments.
This project marks the first step towards broader collaboration and engagement involving Columbia University, Turkish scientists and policymakers, CGC Istanbul, relevant governmental and non-governmental organizations in Türkiye and Hatay Province, and other relevant external partners.
HEARTS Study: Health Equity Assessment and Resilience Tracking for Syrians in Turkey Post-Earthquake
Project Description
On Feb. 6, 2023, two devastating earthquakes struck Türkiye and Syria, resulting in over 50,000 deaths and severe damage or destruction of over 160,000 buildings. This disaster compounded the ongoing challenges faced by over 3.1 million Syrian refugees in Türkiye and their host communities, many of whom are now also displaced.
While existing research examines the impact of the earthquakes on Türkiye’s overall health infrastructure, studies focused on the health needs and access of Syrian refugees are limited. Given the significant size of this population and the transformative effects of the earthquakes on their health and well-being, there is a notable research gap. This gap is feared to be exacerbated by the pressure on scarce resources and escalating tensions with the host population.
The HEARTS Study aims to identify challenges around health access and link them to other critical social determinants of health, such as livelihoods, shelter, and legal protection. This project aims to:
- Critically ascertain how current health systems and aid structures address the health needs of displaced Syrians and host communities, including social determinants of health.
- Build support from key stakeholders to implement practical recommendations for enhancing health access for displaced Syrians.
The Program on Forced Migration and Health (PFMH) will use a combination of desk-based and field-based information-gathering techniques to develop a comprehensive understanding of the current health access challenges and opportunities for displaced Syrians and host communities.
Findings will be synthesised into a policy brief addressing health needs and service access from both service receiver and provider perspectives. This brief will be informed by a stakeholder convening at the Istanbul Global Center to develop and refine key findings, ensuring relevance to policy and practice. It will also position PFMH to develop a larger proposal addressing the critical gaps identified.
The policy brief will present context and policy challenges faced by health systems and highlight innovative programming developed to enhance long-term resilience of the refugee population and support local communities. It will suggest future engagement areas for key stakeholders, including national service providers, donors, and national and international NGOs.