The experiences of people with disabilities in the 2020 Izmir earthquake: A phenomenological research

Abstract

To lead an ordinary life in daily activities, persons with disabilities (PWDs) may face many barriers, and when faced with disruptive events, such as disasters, they are likely to encounter even more significant problems. Identifying these challenges they face or may encounter is crucial during the preparedness process. However, research examining the experiences of PWDs in disasters is quite limited. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the experiences of PWDs who experienced the Izmir earthquake on October 30, 2020, using a phenomenological model to uncover their experiences during the earthquake. Within the scope of this study, interviews were conducted with 27 participants who had various disabilities and experienced the Izmir earthquake on October 30, 2020. The interviews resulted in a 982-min audio recording and a 50,321-word transcription, which were analysed using Moustakas' phenomenological analysis technique and the Maxqda qualitative analysis program. As a result of the analysis, the phenomenological essence was created, and the components that affected the disaster experience of PWDs were identified. The findings showed that PWDs had a low level of preparedness for disasters, encounter significant challenges during the evacuation process, were negatively affected by poverty in their disaster experiences, heavily relied on family and community support, face significant accessibility challenges in the areas where they were accommodated after the disaster, their levels of psychological resilience affected their experiences, they were not involved in disaster management processes, and they struggled to express their problems due to various reasons.