Abstract
BACKGROUND: In Hatay, Türkiye, which suffered extensive devastation from the earthquake of 2023, people were living in container cities during the recovery process. While the physical and psychological effects of the earthquake continued, children faced health risks in their new living spaces. This study was conducted to assess the health status of children aged 0–18 living in Hatay temporary shelters following the earthquake. METHODS: This comparative, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted between August and December 2023 with 1013 children living in container cities who met the study criteria. Age-appropriate health assessment forms, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Post-Traumatic Stress Response Scale were used in the study. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics are expressed as mean and standard deviation, and categorical variables are expressed as frequency (n) and percentage (%). The Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Post-Hoc tests were applied to the variables. Relationships between categorical variables were analyzed using the Chi-square test and, when necessary, the Fisher Exact test. RESULTS: The study found that children’s health status in the post-disaster period varied significantly based on variables such as age group, gender, time spent in the container city, and the extent of damage to their homes. In physical health, nutritional problems and infectious diseases (1. Upper respiratory tract infection, 2. acute gastroenteritis, 3. skin diseases) were the most prevalent across age groups. Half of children aged 0–2 (50%), 51.7% of children aged 3–11, and 61.3% of adolescents aged 12–18 lost at least one family member in the earthquake. In mental health, stress and behavioral changes, state and trait anxiety, and PTSD were identified, particularly in adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The results revealed that children living in post-disaster container cities were affected multidimensionally in terms of physical development, nutrition, vaccination, hygiene, and mental health. In the post-disaster recovery phase, planning and developing child health-centered services are essential. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-026-26945-w.