a qualitative study on the sexual needs of people in evacuation centers after disasters

Background: volcanic eruptions pose a threat to communities and often sideline their basic needs. this study investigates the experience of evacuees and their perception of sexual needs after evacuation due to the eruption of mount merapi in indonesia.materials and methods: in this qualitative study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 24 evacuees from central java and the special region of yogyakarta provinces affected by mount merapi’s eruptions. thematic content analysis was used to analyze the data and extract the themes related to sexual needs and well-being in evacuation centers.    results: we identified four themes of “sexual needs”, “privacy/well-being”, “psychosocial well-being”, and “role of government and associations”. the results revealed that evacuees’ sexual needs persist after volcanic eruptions but face challenges such as lack of privacy, inadequate facilities, and a non-conducive environment. the participants were aware of the role of these needs in psychosocial health but were influenced by individual and situational factors. conclusion: the results highlight the persistence of sexual needs among evacuees after volcanic eruptions and the need for paying attention to these needs in evacuation planning to enhance their psychosocial health.