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Response to Letter to the Editor: Enhancing Disaster Mental Health Preparedness: Insights from Taiwan’s Earthquake Response and a Comparative Reflection on the Izmir Earthquake

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 August 2025

Gülseren Keskin
Affiliation:
https://ror.org/02eaafc18 Ege University Atatürk Vocational School of Health Services , Izmir, Turkey
Esra Yurt*
Affiliation:
İzmir Kavram Vocational School, İzmir, Turkey
*
Corresponding Author: Esra Yurt; Email: esra.yurt@kavram.edu.tr
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Abstract

Information

Type
Letter to the Editor
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc

We sincerely thank the author of the Letter to the Editor for their thoughtful and valuable reflections on our study, Evaluation of the Situations of Coping With Mental Trauma and Trauma in Emergency Service Personnel Who Medically Intervened to Earthquake Affected People in the 2020 Izmir Earthquake.Reference Keskin and Yurt 1

We appreciate the reference to the recent earthquake in Hualien, Taiwan, and commend the Taiwanese health authorities for their comprehensive and proactive mental health response. The examples highlighted in the letter reinforce the importance of integrating mental health services into disaster preparedness and response frameworks globally.

We fully agree that both immediate and long-term psychological support is essential not only for survivors but also for emergency responders, whose emotional burden is often overlooked.Reference North and Pfefferbaum 2 The inclusion of community-based mental health services, religious coping mechanisms, and social support structures is vital in building resilience in disaster-affected populations.Reference Hobfoll, Watson and Bell 3 , Reference Ai, Tice, Whitsett, Ishisaka and Chim 4

Our study was conducted in the specific context of the 2020 Izmir earthquake and aimed to highlight the psychological impact experienced by frontline emergency personnel. Although our findings focused on a single national context, the response from Taiwan adds a valuable comparative dimension, helping to extend the conversation toward more universal, culturally sensitive approaches in disaster mental health care.

We hope that our study, together with responses such as this letter, will contribute to a growing body of evidence that informs policy and practical interventions worldwide. Continued dialogue and the sharing of experiences across countries and disciplines is essential in improving the mental health outcomes of all those affected by natural disasters.

Author contribution

EY: Study conception and design, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, drafting of the article. GK: Study conception and design, data analysis and interpretation, drafting of the article, critical revision of the article.

Competing interests

None

References

Keskin, G, Yurt, E. Evaluation of the situations of coping with mental trauma and trauma in emergency service personnel who medically intervened to earthquake affected people in the 2020 Izmir earthquake. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2023.237CrossRefGoogle Scholar
North, CS, Pfefferbaum, B. Mental health response to community disasters: a systematic review. JAMA. 2013;310(5):507518. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.107799CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hobfoll, SE, Watson, P, Bell, CC, et al. Five essential elements of immediate and mid–term mass trauma intervention: empirical evidence. Psychiatry. 2007;70(4):283315. https://doi.org/10.1521/psyc.2007.70.4.283CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ai, AL, Tice, TN, Whitsett, DD, Ishisaka, T, Chim, M. Posttraumatic symptoms and growth of Kosovar war refugees: the influence of hope and cognitive coping. J Positive Psychol. 2007;2(1):5565. https://doi.org/10.1080/1743976060106934CrossRefGoogle Scholar