scholarly journals The mental health status of children who have been evacuated or migrated from rural areas in Fukushima prefecture after the Fukushima daiichi nuclear power station accident:results from the Fukushima health management survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-16
Author(s):  
Akiko Tokunaga ◽  
Koji Yoshida ◽  
Makiko Orita ◽  
Hideko Urata ◽  
Shuntaro Itagaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Nuclear Power Station ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Mental Health Status ◽  
Power Station ◽  
Fukushima Prefecture ◽  
Fukushima Daiichi

scholarly journals Psychological distress of residents in Kawauchi village, Fukushima Prefecture after the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: the Fukushima Health Management Survey

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koji Yoshida ◽  
Tetsuko Shinkawa ◽  
Hideko Urata ◽  
Kanami Nakashima ◽  
Makiko Orita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Nuclear Power Station ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Power Station ◽  
Fukushima Daiichi ◽  
Distress Scale

BackgroundTo shed light on the mental health of evacuees after the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), we evaluate the results of the Fukushima Health Management Survey (FHMS) of the residents at Kawauchi village in Fukushima, which is located less than 30 km from the FDNPS.MethodsWe conducted the cross-sectional study within the framework of the FHMS. Exposure values were “anorexia,” “subjective feelings about health,” “feelings about sleep satisfaction,” and “bereavement caused by the disaster,” confounding variables were “age” and “sex,” and outcome variables were “K6 points.” We collected data from the FHMS, and employed the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) and the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Checklist Stressor-Specific Version (PCL-S) to carry out the research. A total of 13 or greater was the cut-off for identifying serious mental illness using the K6 scale. The study subjects included residents (n = 542) of over 30 years of age from Kawauchi village, and data were used from the period of January 1, 2012 to October 31, 2012.ResultsA total of 474 residents (87.5%) scored less than 13 points in the K6 and 68 (12.6%) scored 13 points or more. The proportion of elderly residents (over 65 years old) among people with K6 score above the cut-off was higher than that among people with K6 score below the cut-off (44.1 vs 31.0%, p < 0.05). In addition, the proportion of residents with anorexia and mental illness among people with K6 score above the cut-off was higher than among people with K6 score below the cut-off (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). The amount of residents who scored 44 points or more in the PCL-S among people with K6 score above the cut-off was also considerably higher than among people with K6 score below the cut-off (79.4 vs 12.9%, p < 0.001). Interestingly, the proportion of residents who scored more than among people with K6 score above the cut-off and the among people with PCL-S score above the cut-off in Kawauchi was higher than in previous studies in other locations.ConclusionsThese results suggest that there are severe mental health problems, such as depression and PTSD, among adults as a consequence of the accident at the FDNPS. Our study showed that residents who lived in the evacuation zone before the disaster are at high risk psychological distress. To facilitate local residents’ recovery from Fukushima, there is a need to continue providing them with physical and mental support, as well as communication regarding the health risks of radiation.

scholarly journals Mental Health Status of Children After the Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (2_suppl) ◽  
pp. 131S-138S ◽  
Author(s):  
Hirobumi Mashiko ◽  
Hirooki Yabe ◽  
Masaharu Maeda ◽  
Syuntaro Itagaki ◽  
Yasuto Kunii ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Mental Health Status ◽  
Great East Japan Earthquake ◽  
Environmental Radiation ◽  
Fukushima Daiichi ◽  
Usual State

The disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant after the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, might have affected the mental health status of children. To assess the mental health status, we measured the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in 15 274 children (aged 4-15 years). The proportions of those who scored above the cutoff (≥16) of SDQ, reflecting the clinical range of the mental health status, were 25.0% (aged 4-6 years), 22.0% (aged 7-12 years, and 16.3% (aged 13-15 years), which were higher than that in the usual state (9.5%). We also explored the possibility that the distribution on the Fukushima prefectural map of the proportions of those who scored above the cutoff (≥16) of SDQ might correspond with the environmental radiation levels, but there was no significant correlation.

scholarly journals Association of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Physical Function and Mental Health among Older Returnees after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11639
Author(s):  
Nobuaki Moriyama ◽  
Yoshitaka Nishikawa ◽  
Wataru Hoshi ◽  
Tomomi Kuga ◽  
Hajime Iwasa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Activities Of Daily Living ◽  
Physical Function ◽  
Nuclear Power Station ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
World Health ◽  
Power Station ◽  
Instrumental Activities ◽  
Fukushima Daiichi

The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and consequent Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident caused a large-scale evacuation, generating various health issues. Although residents gradually returned, their independence of daily living and associated factors remain unknown. This study examines the hypothesis that physical and mental status are associated with the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) of older returnees (65 years and above) after the disaster. Older returnees to Kawauchi Village, Fukushima Prefecture, located 20–30 km southwest of the power plants, were recruited. IADL was assessed using the Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence, physical function via the 30-s chair stand test, and mental health via the Japanese version of the World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index. To examine the association of IADL and possible factors, a t-test or Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient was used, stratified by sex. The data of 29 participants (75.5 ± 7.4 years, 19 female) were analyzed. Physical function was associated with IADL in females. Mental health was associated with IADL in males and females. Taking measures to strengthen physical function in females, as well as to improve mental health in both sexes, for enhancing IADL ability could be beneficial.

scholarly journals Vertical profiles of Iodine-131 and Cesium-137 in soils in Fukushima Prefecture related to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident

2012 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
KAZUYA TANAKA ◽  
YOSHIO TAKAHASHI ◽  
AYA SAKAGUCHI ◽  
MIYUKI UMEO ◽  
SHINJIRO HAYAKAWA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power Station ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Vertical Profiles ◽  
Power Station ◽  
Fukushima Prefecture ◽  
Cesium 137 ◽  
Iodine 131 ◽  
Fukushima Daiichi
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document