Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS, cilt.13, sa.1, 2026 (AHCI, SSCI, Scopus)
This study examines public awareness and disaster preparedness in the L & acirc;dik district ofSamsun province, T & uuml;rkiye. L & acirc;dik is a region that remains at risk from historical seismicactivity; therefore, evaluating the level of preparedness and public awareness constitutes asignificant research concern. The research aims to reveal how attitudes and behaviors relatedto disasters differ across urban and rural areas according to socio-demographic variablessuch as age, gender, place of birth, education level, income status, and employment status.Using a quantitative survey method, the study examined disaster awareness and prepared-ness levels through a survey conducted with 700 participants. Data were gathered andanalyzed using SPSS software, including descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Theresults reveal that disaster awareness is directly associated not only with the presence ofphysical hazards but also with the social and economic conditions of individuals. In urbanareas, institutional factors such as access to disaster training, insurance, and formal infor-mation channels are more prominent, whereas in rural settings, individual and community-based practices-such as preparing a disaster bag, attending local meetings, and relying onsocial networks-play a greater role. Age, education, and income were determined as keyvariables affecting awareness levels. A particularly notable result is the significant differencesin disaster preparedness between urban and rural inhabitants within the same district,highlighting the importance of microspatial sensitivity in disaster policy design. Based onthese results, disaster preparedness in the L & acirc;dik district remains insufficient-particularly inrural areas-due to low participation in training, lack of planning, and limited institutionaltrust. Thesefindings underscore the need to enhance disaster preparedness through multi-layered strategies that integrate spatial justice, social equity, and locally tailored educationand engagement programs.