Disaster Risk Perception of University Students

Abstract

Stakeholders responsible for disaster management need to understand students' disaster risk perception in order to increase community resilience. The aim of this study was to develop a scale to determine disaster risk perception of university students on campus and to investigate the disaster risk perception of the students of Gümüşhane University in Turkey. The data of the study were collected from 617 students and analyzed by means of SPSS and AMOS programs. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis H test, and structural equation model were applied. Consequently, a valid and reliable scale consisting of four factors (exposure, anxiety, effect, and uncontrollable) was obtained. According to the students, rockfall was most likely to occur on campus. Gender and type of school had a significant effect on disaster risk perception, while disaster experience, disaster education, disaster volunteer, and class level did not have a significant effect on disaster risk perception. Students with chronic illness had significantly higher perceptions of the uncontrollable. The structural equation model showed that exposure, effect, and uncontrollable were significant and positive predictors of anxiety.