Evaluation of University Students Earthquake Perceptions within the Perspective of Sustainable Earthquake Awareness

This research was conducted to determine the earthquake awareness of students studying at a university located in the southwest of the Marmara Region. The descriptive survey model, one of the quantitative research methods, was used in the study. The sample of the study consisted of 564 students determined by the non-random convenience sampling method. In the analysis process, independent t-test, ANOVA and TUKEY multiple comparison test were applied from parametric tests. According to the research results, it was determined that the level of knowledge of female participants about earthquakes was generally higher than that of male participants. In addition, a significant difference was found in terms of earthquake knowledge levels according to the classes students were studying. However no statistically significant difference was found between the classes in the earthquake impact knowledge sub-dimension. In addition, it was observed that the majority of the participants (90.43%) had a moderate level of awareness in terms of the Sustainable Earthquake Awareness Scale (SEAS), but the rate of those who reached a high level of awareness was quite low (7.27%). Accordingly suggestions such as applying general disaster courses to all grade levels and developing gender-sensitive disaster education emerge.