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Perception of Radiation Risk as a Predictor of Mid-Term Mental Health after a Nuclear Disaster: The Fukushima Health Management Survey

Author

Listed:
  • Itaru Miura

    (Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan)

  • Masato Nagai

    (Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
    Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan)

  • Masaharu Maeda

    (Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
    Department of Disaster Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan)

  • Mayumi Harigane

    (Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan)

  • Senta Fujii

    (Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
    Department of Disaster Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan)

  • Misari Oe

    (Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan)

  • Hirooki Yabe

    (Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan)

  • Yuriko Suzuki

    (Department of Adult Mental Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan)

  • Hideto Takahashi

    (Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan)

  • Tetsuya Ohira

    (Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
    Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan)

  • Seiji Yasumura

    (Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
    Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan)

  • Masafumi Abe

    (Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan)

Abstract

Predictive factors including risk perception for mid-term mental health after a nuclear disaster remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between perceived radiation risk and other factors at baseline and mid-term mental health after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster of 2011 in Japan. A mail-based questionnaire survey was conducted in January 2012 and January 2013. Mental health status was assessed using the K6 scale. Psychological distress over the 2-year period was categorized into the following four groups: chronic, recovered, resistant, or worsened. Most participants (80.3%) were resistant to the disaster. A positive association was found between the radiation risk perception regarding immediate effects and the worsened group in women. Baseline post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or a history of psychiatric disease predicted being in the chronic or worsened group in mid-term course. These results suggest that evacuees who believed that their health was substantially affected by the nuclear disaster were at an increased risk of having poor mid-term mental health in women. Careful assessment of risk perception after a nuclear disaster, including the presence of PTSD or a history of psychiatric disease, is needed for appropriate interventions.

Suggested Citation

  • Itaru Miura & Masato Nagai & Masaharu Maeda & Mayumi Harigane & Senta Fujii & Misari Oe & Hirooki Yabe & Yuriko Suzuki & Hideto Takahashi & Tetsuya Ohira & Seiji Yasumura & Masafumi Abe, 2017. "Perception of Radiation Risk as a Predictor of Mid-Term Mental Health after a Nuclear Disaster: The Fukushima Health Management Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-13, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:9:p:1067-:d:112102
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Yuriko Suzuki & Yoshitake Takebayashi & Seiji Yasumura & Michio Murakami & Mayumi Harigane & Hirooki Yabe & Tetsuya Ohira & Akira Ohtsuru & Satomi Nakajima & Masaharu Maeda, 2018. "Changes in Risk Perception of the Health Effects of Radiation and Mental Health Status: The Fukushima Health Management Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-11, June.
    2. Lingnan He & Kaisheng Lai & Zhongxuan Lin & Zhihao Ma, 2018. "Media Exposure and General Trust as Predictors of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Ten Years after the 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, October.
    3. Misari Oe & Yui Takebayashi & Hideki Sato & Masaharu Maeda, 2021. "Mental Health Consequences of the Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima Nuclear Disasters: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-16, July.
    4. Shuhei Nomura & Michio Murakami, 2018. "Public Health Preparedness for and Response to Nuclear Disasters: An Editorial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-4, November.

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