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The Relationship between Media Consumption and Health-Related Anxieties after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster

Author

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  • Amina Sugimoto
  • Shuhei Nomura
  • Masaharu Tsubokura
  • Tomoko Matsumura
  • Kaori Muto
  • Mikiko Sato
  • Stuart Gilmour

Abstract

Background: The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster caused a global panic by a release of harmful radionuclides. In a disaster setting, misusage of contemporary media sources available today can lead to disseminated incorrect information and panic. The study aims to build a scale which examines associations between media and individual anxieties, and to propose effective media usages for future disaster management. Methods: The University of Tokyo collaborated with the Fukushima local government to conduct a radiation-health-seminar for a total of 1560 residents, at 12 different locations in Fukushima. A 13 item questionnaire collected once before and after a radiation-seminar was used on factor analysis to develop sub-scales for multiple regression models, to determine relationships between the sub-scales and media type consumed. A paired t–test was used to examine any changes in sub-scale of pre- and post-seminar scores. Results: Three sub-scales were revealed and were associated with different media types: was with rumors, while concern for the future was positively associated with regional-newspapers and negatively with national-newspapers. Anxiety about social-disruption was associated with radio. The seminar had a significant effect on anxiety reduction for all the three sub-scales. Conclusion: Different media types were associated with various heightened concerns, and that a radiation seminar was helpful to reduce anxieties in the post-disaster setting. By tailoring post-disaster messages via specific media types, i.e., radio, it may be possible to effectively convey important information, as well as to calm fears about particular elements of post-disaster recovery and to combat rumors.

Suggested Citation

  • Amina Sugimoto & Shuhei Nomura & Masaharu Tsubokura & Tomoko Matsumura & Kaori Muto & Mikiko Sato & Stuart Gilmour, 2013. "The Relationship between Media Consumption and Health-Related Anxieties after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(8), pages 1-7, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0065331
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065331
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Yoshitake Takebayashi & Yuliya Lyamzina & Yuriko Suzuki & Michio Murakami, 2017. "Risk Perception and Anxiety Regarding Radiation after the 2011 Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident: A Systematic Qualitative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Takashi Sugimoto & Tomohiro Shinozaki & Takashi Naruse & Yuki Miyamoto, 2014. "Who Was Concerned about Radiation, Food Safety, and Natural Disasters after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima Catastrophe? A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey in 2012," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(9), pages 1-8, September.
    3. Masatsugu Orui & Chihiro Nakayama & Yujiro Kuroda & Nobuaki Moriyama & Hajime Iwasa & Teruko Horiuchi & Takeo Nakayama & Minoru Sugita & Seiji Yasumura, 2020. "The Association between Utilization of Media Information and Current Health Anxiety Among the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster Evacuees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-12, June.
    4. Bart Vyncke & Tanja Perko & Baldwin Van Gorp, 2017. "Information Sources as Explanatory Variables for the Belgian Health‐Related Risk Perception of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(3), pages 570-582, March.
    5. Michio Murakami & Yoshitake Takebayashi & Yoshihito Takeda & Akiko Sato & Yasumasa Igarashi & Kazumi Sano & Tetsuo Yasutaka & Wataru Naito & Sumire Hirota & Aya Goto & Tetsuya Ohira & Seiji Yasumura &, 2018. "Effect of Radiological Countermeasures on Subjective Well-Being and Radiation Anxiety after the 2011 Disaster: The Fukushima Health Management Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, January.
    6. Zeynep Altinay & Eric Rittmeyer & Lauren L. Morris & Margaret A. Reams, 2021. "Public risk salience of sea level rise in Louisiana, United States," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 11(4), pages 523-536, December.
    7. Hiromi Kawasaki & Satoko Yamasaki & Natsu Kohama & Susumu Fukita & Miwako Tsunematsu & Masayuki Kakehashi, 2020. "Analysis of the Training Effect of a Nursing Undergraduate Course on the Management of Radiation-Related Health Concerns—A Single Group Experiment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-11, October.

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