1
|
El-Barazi AS. Psychological Support for Earthquake Survivors in Turkey and Syria. J Emerg Trauma Shock 2023; 16:171-176. [PMID: 38292286 PMCID: PMC10824221 DOI: 10.4103/jets.jets_46_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Thousands of children and families are in danger after two powerful earthquakes and dozens of aftershocks struck the border between Turkey and Syria. Thus, earthquake survivors in Turkey and Syria have an urgent need for psychological help. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe the mental health support services offered to people affected by the earthquakes that ravaged parts of Turkey and Syria, (2) discuss the challenges faced by the psychological support services, and (3) highlight recommendations for improving mental health services for earthquake survivors. Methods A questionnaire with open-ended questions was E-mailed to nongovernmental organizations that provide mental health and psychological support to earthquake-affected individuals in Turkey and Syria. The organizations were requested to describe their activities and the obstacles they had to face to deliver these psychological support services. Using content analysis, the gathered statements were examined. Results Mental health professionals from 23 nongovernmental organizations responded. The earthquake survivors were mostly provided with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and spiritual support. Human resources and financial issues were the most reported concerns among the organizations that responded to the current study. Conclusions While dealing with the long-term consequences of a disaster, it is essential to coordinate the efforts of many organizations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amani Safwat El-Barazi
- Clinical Practice Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, The British University in Egypt, El-Sherouk City, Cairo, Egypt
- The Center for Drug Research and Development, Faculty of Pharmacy, The British University in Egypt, El-Sherouk City, Cairo, Egypt
- Clinical Psychology Clinic, Safwat Elgolf Hospital, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ikeda S, Ikeda A, Ohira T, Sakai A, Shimabukuro M, Maeda M, Yabe H, Nagao M, Yasumura S, Ohto H, Kamiya K, Tanigawa T. Longitudinal Trends in Blood Pressure Associated with The Changes in Living Environment Caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake: The Fukushima Health Management Survey. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:857. [PMID: 36613179 PMCID: PMC9819706 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The Great East Japan Earthquake occurred on 11 March 2011, forcing Fukushima Prefecture residents to change their living environment. Such sudden changes possibly have long-term effects on cardiovascular-related diseases. We therefore sought to identify temporal relationships between living environment changes and blood pressure levels over three years following the earthquake. Participants included 14,941 men and 21,533 women aged 16 years or older who answered self-administered questionnaires, including questions on living environment changes at baseline (2012). Blood pressure levels were measured each year from 2012 to 2015. Linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze associations between living environment changes and blood pressure levels. Men with changes in living environment (i.e., those living in shelters or in temporary housing, rental apartments, relatives' houses, or others) showed significantly higher diastolic blood pressure levels than those who lived in their home at baseline (77.3 mmHg vs. 77.8 mmHg; p < 0.001). The time-dependent effect of diastolic blood pressure levels associated with living environment was not statistically significant, indicating a sustained difference in diastolic blood pressure associated with living environment changes at baseline after three years. The effect of living environment changes on diastolic blood pressure increment was also evident in men without antihypertensive medication use during the study period and in men who were current drinkers at baseline. There were no associations between living environment changes and diastolic blood pressure levels among women. Sudden changes in living environment due to the disaster had an impact on the long-term effects of higher diastolic blood pressure among middle-aged men.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Satomi Ikeda
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Ai Ikeda
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Faculty of International Liberal Arts, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Ohira
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
- Department of Epidemiology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Akira Sakai
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
- Department of Radiation Life Sciences, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Michio Shimabukuro
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Masaharu Maeda
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Hirooki Yabe
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Masanori Nagao
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
- Department of Epidemiology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Seiji Yasumura
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
- Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Ohto
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Kenji Kamiya
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
- Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 739-8511, Japan
| | - Takeshi Tanigawa
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Effects of Housing Aid on Psychosocial Health after a Disaster. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19127302. [PMID: 35742545 PMCID: PMC9223474 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19127302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about whether the provision of aid in the aftermath of a large-scale natural disaster affects psychological well-being. We investigate the effects of housing assistance, a key element of the reconstruction program implemented after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Population-representative individual-level longitudinal data collected in Aceh, Indonesia, during the decade after the tsunami as part of the Study of the Tsunami Aftermath and Recovery (STAR) are used. Housing aid was targeted to people whose homes were destroyed and, to a lesser extent, damaged by the tsunami and to those who lived, at the time of the tsunami, in communities that sustained the greatest damage. The effects of receipt of aid on post-traumatic stress reactivity (PTSR) are examined using panel data models that take into account observed and unobserved individual-specific fixed characteristics that affect both PTSR and aid receipt, drawing comparisons in each survey wave between individuals who had been living in the same kecamatan when the tsunami hit. Those who received aid have better psychological health; the effects increase with time since aid receipt and are the greatest at two years or longer after the receipt. The effects are concentrated among those whose homes were destroyed in the tsunami.
Collapse
|
4
|
Kunii Y, Usukura H, Otsuka K, Maeda M, Yabe H, Takahashi S, Tachikawa H, Tomita H. Lessons learned from psychosocial support and mental health surveys during the 10 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake: Establishing evidence-based disaster psychiatry. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2022; 76:212-221. [PMID: 35137504 PMCID: PMC9314661 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Post-disaster mental health and psychosocial support have drawn attention in Japan after the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, with mental health care centers for the affected communities being organized. After the catastrophe, a reconstruction budget was allocated to organize mental health care centers to provide psychosocial support for communities affected by the 2007 Chūetsu offshore earthquake, the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, and the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. There were several major improvements in post-disaster mental health measures after the Great East Japan Earthquake. The Disaster Psychiatric Assistance Team system was organized after the earthquake to orchestrate disaster response related to the psychiatric health system and mental health of the affected communities. Special mental health care efforts were drawn to the communities affected by the nuclear power plant accident through Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high yield Explosives, being succeeded by measures against the coronavirus pandemic. As another new movement after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the number of surveys involving communities affected by disasters has soared. More than 10 times the number of scientific publications were made in English during the decade following the Great East Japan Earthquake, compared with the previous decades. In this review, we examined the results and issues acquired in the 10 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake, proposing evidence-based disaster psychiatry as the direction of future mental health measures related to emergency preparedness and response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yasuto Kunii
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hitomi Usukura
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kotaro Otsuka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan.,Department of Disaster and Community Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Masaharu Maeda
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.,Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Hirooki Yabe
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.,Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Sho Takahashi
- Department of Disaster and Community Psychiatry, Division of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Tachikawa
- Department of Disaster and Community Psychiatry, Division of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tomita
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
PTSD and Depression 8 Years After the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2022; 17:e183. [PMID: 35635196 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2022.73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate prevalence and risk factors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among directly exposed (DE) and indirectly or nonexposed (INE) populations in Sri Lanka 8 y after the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004. METHODS Population-based structured survey study was conducted among Sri Lankan adults living in 5 coastal districts, Hamboantha, Matara, Galle, Kalutara, and Colombo in 2012-2013. A total of 430 individuals, 325 in DE, 105 in INE, participated in the survey. DE and INE groups were compared for demographics and outcomes. Bivariate and multiple logistic regressions with backward selection were used to identify risk factors for partial PTSD and depression. RESULTS The prevalence of PTSD, partial PTSD and depression were 2.8%, 10.5%, and 18.8% in DE group, respectively. In multivariable analyses tsunami exposure, female gender, subjective physical health before the tsunami, previous trauma, and depression were significantly associated with partial PTSD. Female gender, high frequency of religious activity, previous trauma, social support, and PTSD were significantly associated with depression. CONCLUSIONS The psychological impacts of the tsunami did wane over time, but still present at lower rate even in 8 y. It is important to address these lingering sequelae and expand access to at risk individuals.
Collapse
|
6
|
Kunii Y, Usukura H, Utsumi Y, Seto M, Hamaie Y, Sugawara Y, Nakaya N, Kuriyama S, Hozawa A, Tsuji I, Tomita H. Review of Mental Health Consequences of the Great East Japan Earthquake through Long-Term Epidemiological Studies: The Shichigahama Health Promotion Project. TOHOKU J EXP MED 2022; 257:85-95. [DOI: 10.1620/tjem.2022.j039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yasuto Kunii
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University
| | - Hitomi Usukura
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University
| | - Yusuke Utsumi
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University
| | - Moe Seto
- Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital
| | - Yumiko Hamaie
- Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital
| | - Yumi Sugawara
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University
| | - Naoki Nakaya
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization
| | - Shinichi Kuriyama
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization
| | - Atsushi Hozawa
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization
| | - Ichiro Tsuji
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University
| | - Hiroaki Tomita
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Suzuki T, Akaishi T, Nemoto H, Utsumi Y, Seto M, Usukura H, Kunii Y, Sugawara Y, Nakaya N, Nakamura T, Tsuchiya N, Narita A, Kogure M, Hozawa A, Tsuji I, Ishii T, Tomita H. Impact of type of reconstructed residence on social participation and mental health of population displaced by disasters. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21465. [PMID: 34728690 PMCID: PMC8563746 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00913-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
After disasters, people are often forced to reconstruct or move to new residences. This study aimed to reveal the association between the types of reconstructed residences and psychosocial or psychiatric conditions among the population. A total of 1071 adult residents in a coastal town, whose houses were destroyed by the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, enrolled in the study five years after the disaster. The type of reconstructed post-disaster residences (reconstructed on the same site/disaster-recovery public condominium/mass-translocation to higher ground/privately moving to remote areas) and the current psychosocial indicators were investigated. The results revealed that individuals living in public condominiums showed significantly worse scores on the Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (p < 0.0001) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (p < 0.0001), and slightly worse scores on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (p = 0.035) and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (p = 0.028). Lower psychosocial indicator scores in the public condominium group were more remarkable in younger adults aged < 65 years. Insomnia evaluated using the Athens Insomnia Scale was not different among the four residential types. In summary, residents moving into disaster-recovery public condominiums are likely to have less social interaction, be more depressed, and may need additional interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Suzuki
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.,Health Promotion Section, Shichigahama Town Hall, Shichigahama, Japan.,Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Akaishi
- Department of Education and Support for Regional Medicine, Tohoku University Hospital, Seiryo-machi 1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8574, Japan.
| | - Harumi Nemoto
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yusuke Utsumi
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Moe Seto
- Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hitomi Usukura
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yasuto Kunii
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yumi Sugawara
- Department of Epidemiology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Naoki Nakaya
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Nakamura
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Naho Tsuchiya
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Akira Narita
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Mana Kogure
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Atsushi Hozawa
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ichiro Tsuji
- Department of Epidemiology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tadashi Ishii
- Department of Education and Support for Regional Medicine, Tohoku University Hospital, Seiryo-machi 1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tomita
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Five-Year Psychosocial Impact of Living in Postdisaster Prefabricated Temporary Housing. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2021; 16:1966-1974. [PMID: 34414879 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2021.214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the long-term impact of living in postdisaster prefabricated temporary housing on social interaction activities and mental health status. METHODS A total of 917 adult residents in a coastal town, whose residences were destroyed by the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE), were enrolled for the assessment held 5 y after the disaster. They answered questions about their experience and consequence of living in prefabricated temporary housing after the disaster. Their present scores on 5 types of self-reported measures regarding the psychosocial or psychiatric status and their present and recalled social interaction activities were cross-sectionally collected. RESULTS A total of 587 (64.0%) participants had a history of living in prefabricated temporary housing, while the other 330 (36.0%) had not. The prevalence of social interaction activities significantly decreased after the GEJE. However, the experience of living in prefabricated temporary housing did not adversely affect the subsequent social interaction activities or mental conditions of the participants 5 y after the disaster. CONCLUSIONS Living in postdisaster prefabricated temporary housing may not negatively impact subsequent psychosocial conditions or social interaction activities 5 y later.
Collapse
|
9
|
Suicidal Ideation and Predictors of Psychological Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Eswatini: A Population-Based Household Telephone Survey. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18136700. [PMID: 34206339 PMCID: PMC8296988 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18136700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic can induce psychological distress in individuals. We investigated perceived stressors, prevalence of psychological distress and suicidal ideation, and predictors of psychological distress among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Eswatini. This study was a cross-sectional, population-based household telephone survey of 993 conveniently sampled adults (18+ years) from all the four administrative regions of Eswatini. Data were collected between 9 June and 18 July 2020 during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the country was under a partial lockdown. COVID-19-related psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler 6-item Psychological Distress Scale (K6). We performed weighted modified Poisson regression analyses to identify significant predictors of moderate/severe psychological distress (K6 scores: ≥5). The weighted prevalences of moderate (K6 scores: 5–12) and severe psychological distress (K6 scores: ≥13) were 41.7% and 5.4%, respectively. Participants reported several perceived COVID-19-related stressors, including worries and fears of the contagion-specific death, serious need for food and money, and concerns about loss of income or business. The weighted prevalence of suicidal ideation was 1.5%. Statistically significant predictors of increased risk for moderate/severe psychological distress included living in the Hhohho and Manzini regions; feeling not well informed about COVID-19; feeling lonely; having received COVID-19 food or financial relief from the government; feeling burdened by the lockdown; being married; and being youth (18–24 years). The results call for the government to urgently augment the provision of mental health services during the pandemic. Mental health practitioners and programs may use several stressors and risk factors identified in this study to inform interventions and government policies aimed at reducing psychological distress induced by the pandemic.
Collapse
|
10
|
Funakubo N, Tsuboi A, Eguchi E, Hayashi F, Maeda M, Yabe H, Yasumura S, Kamiya K, Takashiba S, Ohira T. Association between Psychosocial Factors and Oral Symptoms among Residents in Fukushima after the Great East Japan Earthquake: A Cross-Sectional Study from the Fukushima Health Management Survey. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18116054. [PMID: 34199827 PMCID: PMC8200098 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18116054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Oral health is closely related to subjective general health and systemic diseases. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the factors related to oral symptoms and their worsening in relation to psychosocial factors after the Great East Japan Earthquake. In this study, 64,186 residents aged 15–101 years old, who experienced the earthquake on 11 March 2011, were surveyed regarding their oral symptoms; psychological factors, such as post-traumatic reactions and psychological distress; and social factors such as evacuation, work change, and loss of a close person; history of systemic diseases; and lifestyle. Binomial logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals were established for each factor associated with prevalent and exacerbated oral symptoms. The proportions of participants with prevalent and exacerbated oral symptoms were 10.3% and 1.6%, respectively. The multivariate odds ratios and 95% CI of psychosocial factors associated with exacerbated oral symptoms were as follows: post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, 2.24 (1.64–3.06); work changes, 1.88 (1.34–2.65); history of dyslipidemia, 1.74 (1.27–2.39); and subjective current poor health condition, 2.73 (2.00–3.75). Psychological factors, social factors, and physical factors were associated with both prevalent and exacerbated oral symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Narumi Funakubo
- Department of Epidemiology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (N.F.); (F.H.); (T.O.)
| | - Ayaka Tsuboi
- Department of Pathophysiology-Periodontal Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan; (A.T.); (S.T.)
| | - Eri Eguchi
- Department of Epidemiology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (N.F.); (F.H.); (T.O.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-(24)-5471-343
| | - Fumikazu Hayashi
- Department of Epidemiology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (N.F.); (F.H.); (T.O.)
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (M.M.); (H.Y.); (S.Y.); (K.K.)
| | - Masaharu Maeda
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (M.M.); (H.Y.); (S.Y.); (K.K.)
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Hirooki Yabe
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (M.M.); (H.Y.); (S.Y.); (K.K.)
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Seiji Yasumura
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (M.M.); (H.Y.); (S.Y.); (K.K.)
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Kenji Kamiya
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (M.M.); (H.Y.); (S.Y.); (K.K.)
- Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan
| | - Shogo Takashiba
- Department of Pathophysiology-Periodontal Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan; (A.T.); (S.T.)
| | - Tetsuya Ohira
- Department of Epidemiology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (N.F.); (F.H.); (T.O.)
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; (M.M.); (H.Y.); (S.Y.); (K.K.)
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Kotozaki Y, Tanno K, Sakata K, Takusari E, Otsuka K, Tomita H, Sasaki R, Takanashi N, Mikami T, Hozawa A, Nakaya N, Tsuchiya N, Nakamura T, Narita A, Taki Y, Shimizu A, Hitomi J, Satoh M, Sasaki M. Association between the social isolation and depressive symptoms after the great East Japan earthquake: findings from the baseline survey of the TMM CommCohort study. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:925. [PMID: 33992096 PMCID: PMC8122535 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10896-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social isolation and mental health issues have become a severe problem in disaster areas in the Great East Japan Earthquake. This study examined whether the combination of the house damage and social isolation or the combination of the death of family members and social isolation is associated with depressive symptoms among survivors using the baseline study data of the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Community-Based Cohort Study (TMM CommCohort Study). METHODS We used cross-sectional data from a baseline survey of 48,958 participants (18,423 males, 30,535 females; aged 60.1 ± 11.2 years) to examine the association between social isolation measured by the Lubben social network scale 6 (LSNS-6) and depressive symptoms measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depressive Scale (CES-D). The presence of social isolation and depressive symptoms was defined by an LSNS-6 score of < 12 and a CES-D score of ≥16, respectively. We performed a logistic regression analysis to determine the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) [AOR (95% CI)] for depressive symptoms according to sex in the social isolation in comparison to without social isolation, and the associations of the combination of the house damage or the death of family members and social isolation and depressive symptoms. RESULTS Social isolation was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (males: OR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.72-2.04, females: OR = 2.13; 95% CI = 2.00-2.26). Both males and females respondents with severe house damage and social isolation had a greater risk of depressive symptoms in comparison to those with an undamaged house and without social isolation (males: OR = 3.40; 95% CI = 2.73-4.24, females: OR = 2.92; 95% CI = 2.46-3.46). The risk of depressive symptoms was also higher in both males and females respondents with the death of family members and social isolation in comparison to those without the death of family members and without social isolation (males: OR = 2.18; 95% CI = 1.90-2.50, females: OR = 2.60; 95% CI = 2.35-2.88). CONCLUSION The findings suggested that a combination of social isolation and severe house damage and the death of family members caused by a large-scale natural disaster was associated with a higher risk of depressive symptoms although the interaction was not statistically significant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Kotozaki
- Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Iwate Medical University, 1-1-1 Idaidori, Yahaba, Shiwa, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan.
| | - Kozo Tanno
- Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Iwate Medical University, 1-1-1 Idaidori, Yahaba, Shiwa, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
- Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Kiyomi Sakata
- Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Iwate Medical University, 1-1-1 Idaidori, Yahaba, Shiwa, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
- Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Eri Takusari
- Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Kotaro Otsuka
- Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Iwate Medical University, 1-1-1 Idaidori, Yahaba, Shiwa, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tomita
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Division of Disaster Medical Science, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ryohei Sasaki
- Division of Physical Education, Department of Human Sciences, Iwate Medical University Center for Liberal Arts and Sciences, Iwate, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Takanashi
- Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Iwate Medical University, 1-1-1 Idaidori, Yahaba, Shiwa, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
- Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Takahiro Mikami
- Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Iwate Medical University, 1-1-1 Idaidori, Yahaba, Shiwa, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Atsushi Hozawa
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Naoki Nakaya
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Health Science, Saitama Prefectural University, Koshigaya, Japan
| | - Naho Tsuchiya
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Nakamura
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Akira Narita
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Taki
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Atsushi Shimizu
- Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Iwate Medical University, 1-1-1 Idaidori, Yahaba, Shiwa, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
- Division of Biomedical Information Analysis, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Jiro Hitomi
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Mamoru Satoh
- Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Iwate Medical University, 1-1-1 Idaidori, Yahaba, Shiwa, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
- Division of Biomedical Information Analysis, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| | - Makoto Sasaki
- Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Iwate Medical University, 1-1-1 Idaidori, Yahaba, Shiwa, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
- Division of Ultrahigh Field MRI, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake on the Employment Status and Mental Health Conditions of Affected Coastal Communities. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17218130. [PMID: 33153208 PMCID: PMC7662503 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17218130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The Great East Japan Earthquake devasted the old community in coastal areas characterized by primary industry. The number of unemployed people increased from 150,000 to 190,000 after the earthquake. All of the adult residents of Shichigahama (18 years old or older), located in the coastal area of the Miyagi prefecture, whose houses were totally or majorly damaged, were recruited for a survey conducted in October 2011. All of the residents who responded with written informed consent were included in this study. Among 904 individuals who had a job before the Great East Japan Earthquake, 19% became unemployed. Concerning gender and age, 9% of young men, 34% of elderly men, 21% of young women, and 49% of elderly women became unemployed. Concerning the type of industry, 38%, 15%, and 16% of people who had belonged to the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries, respectively, before the disaster became unemployed. Those who became unemployed exhibited a significantly higher risk of insomnia compared to those who maintained jobs. The study pointed out the severe impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake on populations who had belonged to the primary industry, especially among elderly women, and its effect on sleep conditions.
Collapse
|
13
|
Onset and remission of common mental disorders among adults living in temporary housing for three years after the triple disaster in Northeast Japan: comparisons with the general population. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:1271. [PMID: 32819348 PMCID: PMC7441677 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09378-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background People living in temporary housing for long periods after a disaster are at risk of poor mental health. This study investigated the post-disaster incidence and remission of common mental disorders among adults living in temporary housing for the 3 years following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Methods Three years after the disaster, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 1089 adult residents living in temporary housing in the disaster area, i.e., the shelter group, and a random sample of 852 community residents from non-disaster areas of East Japan. The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to diagnose DSM-IV mood, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders. Information on demographic variables and disaster experiences was also collected. Results Response rates were 49 and 46% for the shelter group and the community residents, respectively. The incidence of mood/anxiety disorder in the shelter group was elevated only in the first year post-disaster compared to that of the general population. The rate of remission for mood and anxiety disorders was significantly lower in the shelter group than in the community residents. The proportion seeking medical treatment was higher in the shelter group. Conclusions The onset of common mental disorders increased in the first year, but then levelled off in the following years among residents in temporary housing after the disaster. Remission from incident post-disaster mental disorders was slower in the shelter group than in the general population. Post-disaster mental health service could consider the greater incidence in the first year and prolonged remission of mental disorders among survivors with a long-term stay in temporary housing after a disaster.
Collapse
|
14
|
Morishima R, Usami S, Ando S, Kiyono T, Morita M, Fujikawa S, Araki T, Kasai K. Living in temporary housing and later psychological distress after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011: A cross-lagged panel model. SSM Popul Health 2020; 11:100629. [PMID: 32676534 PMCID: PMC7352072 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Living in temporary housing is a risk factor for psychological distress after a natural disaster. As temporary housing is an essential resource for those affected by disasters, investigation of factors which potentially mediate living in temporary housing and psychological distress is needed. This is a cohort study in general population of areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Data were obtained from self-report questionnaires in annual health checks between 2014 and 2016 regarding residential situation (e.g., prefabricated or privately-rented temporary housing), psychological distress, sleep disturbances, social support, and covariates. Mediation effects of sleep disturbances and social support on the relationship between temporary housing and psychological distress were evaluated using a cross-lagged panel model during three time points. Among 3,116 participants in 2014, approximately 12% lived in prefabricated or privately-rented temporary housing. Living in prefabricated (β = 0.046, p = 0.031) and privately-rented temporary housing (β = 0.043, p = 0.042) predicted later psychological distress. There was no mediation effect by sleep disturbances (prefabricated temporary housing: β = 0.001, p = 0.620; privately-rented temporary housing: β = −0.001, p = 0.467) or social support (prefabricated temporary housing: β < 0.001, p = 0.748; privately-rented temporary housing: β < 0.001, p = 0.435). CLPM also showed no relationship between living in temporary housing and increased sleep problems or decreased social support. Mental health support may be required for residents who lived in prefabricated or privately-rented temporary housing three years after a natural disaster, whereas support focusing only on sleep disturbances or social support in residents who lived in temporary housing may not be enough to contribute to reducing psychological distress. This study investigated mediators on link temporary housing and distress following natural disaster. Living in prefabricated and privately-rented temporary housing was associated with distress. However, this link was not mediated by sleep disturbances or social support. Mental health support may be required for individuals who lived in temporary housing. Support focusing only on sleep disturbances or social support may not be enough to contribute to reducing distress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Morishima
- The Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Usami
- The Graduate School of Education, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuntaro Ando
- The Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoki Kiyono
- The Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaya Morita
- The Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinya Fujikawa
- The Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Araki
- The Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- The Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
The Impact of Health Consciousness on the Association Between Walking Durations and Mental Health Conditions After a Disaster: a Cross-Sectional Study. SPORTS MEDICINE-OPEN 2020; 6:30. [PMID: 32676856 PMCID: PMC7366311 DOI: 10.1186/s40798-020-00259-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Background In communities affected by a disaster, walking can be a feasible form of physical exercise to improve physical and mental health conditions. However, there is limited evidence to support relationships between walking habits and mental health conditions in post-disaster settings. Cross-sectional epidemiological data obtained from a questionnaire survey (conducted in October 2017) of a community affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) was analyzed to evaluate the relationships. Methods Participants included individuals over 20 years of age (N = 718) from Shichigahama town in Miyagi prefecture, whose houses were significantly damaged by the GEJE. Their mental health conditions were assessed by the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Additionally, the questionnaire asked the participants spent duration walking on average and their walking purpose by the following items: (1) longer than 60 min per day, (2) between 30 and 60 min per day, or (3) less than 30 min per day, and whether they walked to maintain healthy living habits (health-conscious walkers) or merely for transportation without considering health consequences (non-health-conscious walkers). These information and mental health indicators were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results Among the three walking duration groups of health-conscious walkers, there were significant differences in CES-D and K6 scores (p = 0.01 and p = 0.04), but not in IES-R scores, considering age, gender, and alcohol drinking habits as covariates. CES-D score was significantly higher among short walkers (p = 0.004). Among the three walking duration groups of non-health-conscious walkers, there were significant differences in avoidance symptoms, the subdomain of IES-R (p = 0.01), but not in CES-D, K6, and total IES-R scores, considering the variants. Conclusion Our study suggests that walking durations may positively affect mood, but not PTSR, only when walking is performed with the purpose of maintaining healthy living habits. Walking durations were negatively associated with avoidance symptoms among non-health-conscious walkers in the community affected by the GEJE, indicating that the disaster may have had a long-lasting impact on walking habits.
Collapse
|
16
|
Jinnouchi H, Ohira T, Kakihana H, Matsudaira K, Maeda M, Yabe H, Suzuki Y, Harigane M, Iso H, Kawada T, Yasumura S, Kamiya K. Lifestyle factors associated with prevalent and exacerbated musculoskeletal pain after the Great East Japan Earthquake: a cross-sectional study from the Fukushima Health Management Survey. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:677. [PMID: 32404138 PMCID: PMC7222503 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-08764-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background While the prevalence of post-disaster musculoskeletal pain has been documented, its associated disaster-related factors have not been investigated. This study was to investigate the association of lifestyle factors associated with musculoskeletal pain after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of 34,919 participants, aged 40–89 years, without any major disabilities at about 1 year after the disaster. The participants were asked about their musculoskeletal pain (low back and limb pain) and lifestyle factors: use of evacuation shelters or temporary housing at any point of time, job loss after the disaster, decreased income after the disaster, current smoking status, current drinking status, lack of sleep, regular exercise, and participation in recreational or community activities. Furthermore, psychological factors, such as traumatic reactions, psychological distress, and uncomfortable symptoms, affecting musculoskeletal pain were assessed. We used multinomial logistic regression analysis to calculate odds ratios of each lifestyle factor for prevalent and prevalent plus exacerbated musculoskeletal pain. Results Musculoskeletal pain prevalence was 32.8%: 27.6% for prevalent and 5.2% for prevalent plus exacerbated musculoskeletal pain. Multivariable adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of lifestyle factors associated with prevalent and prevalent plus exacerbated musculoskeletal pain were as follows: shelter use (prevalent: 1.02, 0.96–1.08; exacerbated: 1.44, 1.29–1.60), job loss (prevalent: 1.03, 0.96–1.10; exacerbated: 1.30, 1.16–1.47), decreased income (prevalent: 1.13, 1.05–1.21; exacerbated: 1.29, 1.14–1.45), current heavy drinking (prevalent: 1.33, 1.21–1.47; exacerbated: 1.38, 1.14–1.68), insomnia (prevalent: 1.22, 1.15–1.29; exacerbated: 1.50, 1.36–1.65), exercising almost daily (prevalent: 0.83, 0.77–0.91; exacerbated: 0.80, 0.68–0.95), and participating in community activities often (prevalent: 0.83, 0.75–0.92; exacerbated: 0.76, 0.61–0.95). Conclusions Prevalent and exacerbated musculoskeletal pain were inversely associated with exercising almost daily and participating in recreational or community activities sometimes or often, and positively associated with decreased income, current heavy drinking, and insomnia. Besides, the use of evacuation shelters or temporary housing/job loss was positively associated only with exacerbated musculoskeletal pain. These results suggest that post-disaster lifestyle factors are potentially associated with musculoskeletal pain. To achieve better post-disaster pain management, further studies are needed to confirm the consistency of these results in other disasters and to highlight the underlying causative mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshige Jinnouchi
- Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8602, Japan. .,Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. .,Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, and Health Services Research and Development Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8575, Japan.
| | - Tetsuya Ohira
- Department of Epidemiology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.,Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Hironobu Kakihana
- Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigakumachi, Takatsuki, Osaka, 569-8686, Japan
| | - Ko Matsudaira
- Department of Medical Research and Management for Musculoskeletal Pain, 22nd Century Medical and Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Masaharu Maeda
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.,Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Hirooki Yabe
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.,Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Yuriko Suzuki
- Department of Adult Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health, 4-1-1 Ogawa-Higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan
| | - Mayumi Harigane
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.,Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Iso
- Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, and Health Services Research and Development Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Kawada
- Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8602, Japan
| | - Seiji Yasumura
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.,Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Kenji Kamiya
- Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.,Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Seto M, Nemoto H, Kobayashi N, Kikuchi S, Honda N, Kim Y, Kelman I, Tomita H. Post-disaster mental health and psychosocial support in the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake: a qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry 2019; 19:261. [PMID: 31455275 PMCID: PMC6712862 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-019-2243-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies exploring the actual practices implemented for long-term mental health and psychosocial support after a natural disaster have been published. This study aimed to reveal (1) the types of activities that were actually provided as mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in the long-term phase after the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and (2) the problems that must be addressed to provide post-disaster MHPSS activities. METHODS An open-ended questionnaire was sent to organizations in the Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures that were potentially involved in providing MHPSS to communities affected by the GEJE. The organizations were asked to describe their activities and the problems that needed to be addressed to provide these support activities. The collected statements were analysed using content analysis with NVivo11. RESULTS The support activities conducted to provide MHPSS in the long-term phase after the catastrophe were diverse and classified into 7 major categories, namely, (1) one-on-one support for individuals in need of assistance, (2) support for collective activities, (3) support around living conditions and income, (4) increasing public awareness about mental health, (5) human resource development to improve response capabilities for MHPSS, (6) support for MHPSS providers, and (7) facilitating collaborations among the MHPSS activities provided to affected communities. Problems with human resources and funding were the most frequently mentioned concerns among the organizations participating in the survey. CONCLUSIONS The establishment of systems to collect and share sufficient and relevant knowledge and to coordinate organizations for long-term post-disaster postventions would be desirable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moe Seto
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, 2-1 Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8573, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Harumi Nemoto
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, 2-1 Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8573, Japan
| | | | - Saya Kikuchi
- Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Nami Honda
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yoshiharu Kim
- Department of Adult Mental Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan
- National Information Center of Disaster Mental Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan
| | - Ilan Kelman
- Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction and Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Hiroaki Tomita
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, 2-1 Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8573, Japan.
- Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan.
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Ikeda A, Charvat H, Shigemura J, Kales SN, Tanigawa T. Longitudinal trends in disaster-related insomnia among Fukushima nuclear plant workers: the Fukushima Nuclear Energy Workers’ Support Project study. Sleep 2019; 42:5374591. [DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsz043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Revised: 12/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ai Ikeda
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hadrien Charvat
- Prevention Division, Center for Public Health Sciences, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jun Shigemura
- Department of Psychiatry, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Japan
| | - Stefanos N Kales
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
- Occupational Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA
| | - Takeshi Tanigawa
- Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
|
20
|
O'leimat AS, Alhussami M, Rayan A. The correlates of psychological distress among parents of children with psychiatric disorders. JOURNAL OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC NURSING 2019; 32:24-32. [DOI: 10.1111/jcap.12223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Saed O'leimat
- Department of Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing, The University of JordanAmman Jordan
| | - Mahmoud Alhussami
- Department of Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing, The University of JordanAmman Jordan
| | - Ahmad Rayan
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Zarqa UniversityZarqa Jordan
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Musculoskeletal Pain is Associated With New-Onset Psychological Distress in Survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2018; 13:295-300. [PMID: 29893655 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2018.57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Psychological distress is a common symptom after natural disasters. Although musculoskeletal pain also increases after natural disasters, its relation to psychological distress is not known. This study aimed to examine the association of musculoskeletal pain with new-onset psychological distress among survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake. METHODS A panel study was conducted with survivors at 2 and 3 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake. New-onset psychological distress was defined as psychological distress absent at 2 years and present at 3 years after the disaster. The number of musculoskeletal pain sites at 2 years after the disaster was divided into 3 categories (0, 1, and ≥2). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to calculate the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for new-onset psychological distress according to the number of musculoskeletal pain sites. RESULTS The rate of new-onset psychological distress was 6.7%. Musculoskeletal pain was associated with new-onset psychological distress. Using "0" as a reference, the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) were 1.65 (0.92-2.95) in "1" and 2.12 (1.24-3.64) in "≥2" (P for trend=.02). CONCLUSIONS Musculoskeletal pain is associated with new-onset psychological distress among survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:295-300).
Collapse
|
22
|
Tanji F, Tomata Y, Sekiguchi T, Tsuji I. Period of residence in prefabricated temporary housing and psychological distress after the Great East Japan Earthquake: a longitudinal study. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e018211. [PMID: 29730612 PMCID: PMC5942419 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Previous studies have reported that displacement from one's own home after a natural disaster is associated with a higher degree of psychological distress. The present study investigated the longitudinal association between the period of residence in prefabricated temporary housing and psychological distress after the Great East Japan Earthquake. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS We conducted a longitudinal observation of 284 adults (aged ≥18 years) who had lived in prefabricated temporary housing in Miyagi, Northeastern Japan. The period of residence in prefabricated temporary housing was classified into three categories: <3, 3-4 and >4 years (ie, still living in prefabricated temporary housing). OUTCOMES The Kessler 6-item Psychological Distress Scale (K6) was assessed in both a baseline survey (2011) and a follow-up survey (2016). Higher psychological distress was defined by a K6 score of ≥5. We used Firth's penalised likelihood method in the multivariate logistic regression model to estimate the adjusted ORs and 95% CIs. RESULTS Among the total participants, the proportion of individuals with higher psychological distress at the follow-up survey was significantly higher in the >4 years category (multivariate OR=4.00, 95% CI 1.67 to 10.16) than in the <3 years category. Among participants who had a lower degree of psychological distress at the baseline, the proportion of those whose psychological distress deteriorated was significantly higher in the >4 years category (multivariate OR=4.87, 95% CI 1.26 to 20.28) than in the <3 years category. On the other hand, among the participants who had a higher degree of psychological distress at the baseline, the proportion of those whose psychological distress ameliorated was significantly lower in the >4 years category (multivariate OR=0.26, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.85) than in the <3 years category. CONCLUSIONS The proportion of individuals with more severe psychological distress was higher among participants who had lived in prefabricated temporary housing for a long period.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fumiya Tanji
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Informatics and Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University School of Public Health, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yasutake Tomata
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Informatics and Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University School of Public Health, Sendai, Japan
| | - Takuya Sekiguchi
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Informatics and Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University School of Public Health, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ichiro Tsuji
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Informatics and Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University School of Public Health, Sendai, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Noncommunicable Diseases After the Great East Japan Earthquake: Systematic Review, 2011-2016. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2017; 12:396-407. [PMID: 29032775 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2017.63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including mental disorders, have become major threats to human health worldwide. People with NCDs are particularly vulnerable to disasters. We systematically reviewed reports describing studies of NCDs at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) to clarify the circumstances of people with NCDs and to build strong measures to support them. METHODS Relevant articles published from March 2011 through December 2016 were collected by searching the PubMed database (National Library of Medicine). We specifically examined reports describing NCDs and including the key words "East Japan Earthquake." NCDs included every disease type aside from injury and infectious disease. RESULTS We collected 160 relevant articles, 41 of which described NCDs that existed in residents before the GEJE. Articles describing respiratory diseases and mental illnesses were found most frequently. Interruption of regular treatment was the most frequent problem, followed by lack of surveillance capacity. We found 101 reports describing NCDs that had developed after the GEJE, of which 60% were related to mental health issues. CONCLUSIONS NCDs pose major health issues after large-scale disasters. Establishment of strong countermeasures against interruption of treatment and surveillance systems to ascertain medical needs for NCDs are necessary to prepare for future disasters. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018; 12: 396-407).
Collapse
|
24
|
Earthquakes, Fuel Crisis, Power Outages, and Health Care in Nepal: Implications for the Future. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2017; 11:625-632. [PMID: 28416042 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2016.195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Earthquakes are a major natural calamity with pervasive effects on human life and nature. Similar effects are mimicked by man-made disasters such as fuel crises and power outages in developing countries. Natural and man-made disasters can cause intangible human suffering and often leave scars of lifelong psychosocial damage. Lessons from these disasters are frequently not implemented. The main objective of this study was to review the effects of the 2015 earthquakes, fuel crisis, and power outages on the health services of Nepal and formulate recommendations for the future. The impacts of earthquakes on health can be divided into immediate, intermediate, and long-term effects. Power outages and fuel crises have health hazards at all stages. It is imperative to understand the temporal effects of earthquakes, because the major needs soon after the earthquake (emergency care) are vastly different from long-term needs such as rehabilitation and psychosocial support. In Nepal, the inadequate and nearly nonexistent specialized health care at the peripheral level claimed many lives during the earthquakes and left many people disproportionately injured. Preemptive strategies such as mobile critical care units at primary health centers, intensive care training for health workers, and alternative plans for emergency care must be prioritized. Similarly, infrastructural damage led to poor sanitation, and alternative plans for temporary settlements (water supply, food, settlements logistics, space for temporary settlements) must be in place where the danger of disease outbreak is imminent. While much of these strategies are implementable and are often set as priorities, long-term effects of earthquakes such as physical and psychosocial supports are often overlooked. The burden of psychosocial stresses, including depression and physical disabilities, needs to be prioritized by facilitating human resources for mental health care and rehabilitation. In addition, inclusion of mental health and rehabilitation facilities in government health care services of Nepal needs to be prioritized. Similarly, power outages and fuel crises affect health care disproportionately. In the current context where permanent solutions may not be possible, mitigating health hazards, especially cold chain maintenance for essential medicines and continuation of life-saving procedures, are mandatory and policies to regulate all health care services must be undertaken. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:625-632).
Collapse
|
25
|
Lucchini RG, Hashim D, Acquilla S, Basanets A, Bertazzi PA, Bushmanov A, Crane M, Harrison DJ, Holden W, Landrigan PJ, Luft BJ, Mocarelli P, Mazitova N, Melius J, Moline JM, Mori K, Prezant D, Reibman J, Reissman DB, Stazharau A, Takahashi K, Udasin IG, Todd AC. A comparative assessment of major international disasters: the need for exposure assessment, systematic emergency preparedness, and lifetime health care. BMC Public Health 2017; 17:46. [PMID: 28061835 PMCID: PMC5219808 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-016-3939-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The disasters at Seveso, Three Mile Island, Bhopal, Chernobyl, the World Trade Center (WTC) and Fukushima had historic health and economic sequelae for large populations of workers, responders and community members. METHODS Comparative data from these events were collected to derive indications for future preparedness. Information from the primary sources and a literature review addressed: i) exposure assessment; ii) exposed populations; iii) health surveillance; iv) follow-up and research outputs; v) observed physical and mental health effects; vi) treatment and benefits; and vii) outreach activities. RESULTS Exposure assessment was conducted in Seveso, Chernobyl and Fukushima, although none benefited from a timely or systematic strategy, yielding immediate and sequential measurements after the disaster. Identification of exposed subjects was overall underestimated. Health surveillance, treatment and follow-up research were implemented in Seveso, Chernobyl, Fukushima, and at the WTC, mostly focusing on the workers and responders, and to a lesser extent on residents. Exposure-related physical and mental health consequences were identified, indicating the need for a long-term health care of the affected populations. Fukushima has generated the largest scientific output so far, followed by the WTCHP and Chernobyl. Benefits programs and active outreach figured prominently in only the WTC Health Program. The analysis of these programs yielded the following lessons: 1) Know who was there; 2) Have public health input to the disaster response; 3) Collect health and needs data rapidly; 4) Take care of the affected; 5) Emergency preparedness; 6) Data driven, needs assessment, advocacy. CONCLUSIONS Given the long-lasting health consequences of natural and man-made disasters, health surveillance and treatment programs are critical for management of health conditions, and emergency preparedness plans are needed to prevent or minimize the impact of future threats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto G. Lucchini
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
- University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Dana Hashim
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Michael Crane
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | | | - William Holden
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | | | | | | | | | - James Melius
- New York State Laborers’ Health and Safety Trust Fund, New York, NY USA
| | - Jacqueline M. Moline
- Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine at Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY USA
| | - Koji Mori
- University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | | | - Joan Reibman
- New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Dori B. Reissman
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Atlanta, Georgia USA
| | | | - Ken Takahashi
- University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | | | - Andrew C. Todd
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Nakaya N, Sone T, Nakaya K, Tomata Y, Hozawa A, Tsuji I. Psychological Distress among Individuals Whose Partners Have Cancer. TOHOKU J EXP MED 2017; 243:27-33. [DOI: 10.1620/tjem.243.27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Nakaya
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University
| | - Toshimasa Sone
- Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Science, Tohoku Fukushi University
| | - Kumi Nakaya
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University
| | - Yasutake Tomata
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Informatics and Public Health, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Atsushi Hozawa
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University
| | - Ichiro Tsuji
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Informatics and Public Health, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Horikoshi N, Iwasa H, Kawakami N, Suzuki Y, Yasumura S. Residence-related factors and psychological distress among evacuees after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry 2016; 16:420. [PMID: 27881162 PMCID: PMC5121974 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-016-1134-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relocation following a disaster can impact the psychological well-being of evacuees. This study investigated the associations between residence-related factors and psychological distress among evacuees living in temporary housing after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. METHODS Data from 525 participants living in temporary housing were collected. Associations between residence-related factors (frequent relocation, dissatisfaction with the residence, and plan to move to permanent housing) and psychological distress were measured. The psychological distress of evacuees was measured using the Japanese version of the 6-item Kessler scale (K6). We used a cut-off score of five to identify cases with psychological distress, the basis of Kessler's 6 items for psychological distress. RESULTS Multivariate logistic regression analysis (n = 418) showed that frequent relocation (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.14-3.66, p = 0.016) and dissatisfaction with the residence (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.60-3.83, p < 0.001) was significantly associated with psychological distress. After stratifying by gender, dissatisfaction with the residence was associated with psychological distress, and a plan to move to permanent housing was significantly associated with psychological distress in women (OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.03-3.63, p = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS Frequent relocation and dissatisfaction with the residence were associated with psychological distress among evacuees following the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Evacuees should be provided with comfortable living spaces, and steps should be taken to reduce repeated relocation of evacuees. Thus, particular attention should be paid to women with a plan to move to permanent housing within this context.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naoko Horikoshi
- Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima City, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.
| | - Hajime Iwasa
- Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima City, Fukushima 960-1295 Japan ,Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-0015 Japan
| | - Norito Kawakami
- Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8654 Japan
| | - Yuriko Suzuki
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553 Japan
| | - Seiji Yasumura
- Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima City, Fukushima 960-1295 Japan
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Nakaya N, Narita A, Tsuchiya N, Nakamura T, Tsuji I, Hozawa A, Tomita H. Partners’ Ongoing Treatment for Chronic Disease and the Risk of Psychological Distress after the Great East Japan Earthquake. TOHOKU J EXP MED 2016; 239:307-14. [DOI: 10.1620/tjem.239.307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Nakaya
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University
| | - Akira Narita
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University
| | - Naho Tsuchiya
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University
| | - Tomohiro Nakamura
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University
| | - Ichiro Tsuji
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Informatics and Public Health, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Atsushi Hozawa
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University
| | - Hiroaki Tomita
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University
| |
Collapse
|