IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socpsy/v67y2021i6p680-686.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Distrust in government and its relationship with mental health after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident

Author

Listed:
  • Maiko Fukasawa
  • Norito Kawakami
  • Maki Umeda
  • Tsuyoshi Akiyama
  • Naoko Horikoshi
  • Seiji Yasumura
  • Hirooki Yabe
  • Yuriko Suzuki
  • Evelyn J Bromet

Abstract

Background: Distrust in authorities has negative effects on mental health. Aims: In this study, we aimed to explore whether the impact of distrust in government on mental health became stronger in the area heavily affected by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. Methods: We examined the effects of distrust in the national government on depressive symptoms three years after the accident among community residents in Fukushima prefecture using those in the Kanto area (the area surrounding Tokyo) as a control. A questionnaire survey was administered to a random sample of 1000 residents in Fukushima prefecture and 1650 residents in the Kanto area. Distrust in the national government was assessed using a four-point single-item scale. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The associations of residential area (i.e. living in Fukushima prefecture or in the Kanto area) and distrust in the national government with depressive symptoms were examined, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics and disaster-related experiences using multivariate linear regression analyses. We used the interaction term of residential area and distrust in the government to explore the difference in the association between the respondents in Fukushima prefecture and those in the Kanto area. Results: Valid responses were obtained from 976 (36.8%) residents. Distrust in the government was associated with depressive symptoms and the association was stronger in Fukushima prefecture than in the Kanto area. Conclusion: The deleterious effects of distrust in the government on mental health may become more serious after a nuclear power plant accident and require careful attention during support activities in an affected area.

Suggested Citation

  • Maiko Fukasawa & Norito Kawakami & Maki Umeda & Tsuyoshi Akiyama & Naoko Horikoshi & Seiji Yasumura & Hirooki Yabe & Yuriko Suzuki & Evelyn J Bromet, 2021. "Distrust in government and its relationship with mental health after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(6), pages 680-686, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:67:y:2021:i:6:p:680-686
    DOI: 10.1177/0020764020968129
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0020764020968129
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0020764020968129?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John Hudson, 2006. "Institutional Trust and Subjective Well‐Being across the EU," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(1), pages 43-62, February.
    2. Goldsteen, Raymond & Schorr, John K. & Goldsteen, Karen S., 1989. "Longitudinal study of appraisal at Three Mile Island: Implications for life event research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 389-398, January.
    3. Fukasawa, Maiko & Kawakami, Norito & Umeda, Maki & Akiyama, Tsuyoshi & Horikoshi, Naoko & Yasumura, Seiji & Yabe, Hirooki & Suzuki, Yuriko & Bromet, Evelyn J., 2020. "Long-lasting effects of distrust in government and science on mental health eight years after the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    4. Yamaoka, Kazue, 2008. "Social capital and health and well-being in East Asia: A population-based study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(4), pages 885-899, February.
    5. Lindstrom, Martin & Mohseni, Mohabbat, 2009. "Social capital, political trust and self-reported psychological health: A population-based study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(3), pages 436-443, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Maria C. Pereira & Filipe Coelho & Óscar Lourenço, 2017. "Who Feels Credit Constrained in Europe? The Role of Social Capital," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(2), pages 380-405, July.
    2. Liu, Gordon G. & Xue, Xindong & Yu, Chenxi & Wang, Yafeng, 2016. "How does social capital matter to the health status of older adults? Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 177-189.
    3. Fukasawa, Maiko & Kawakami, Norito & Umeda, Maki & Akiyama, Tsuyoshi & Horikoshi, Naoko & Yasumura, Seiji & Yabe, Hirooki & Suzuki, Yuriko & Bromet, Evelyn J., 2020. "Long-lasting effects of distrust in government and science on mental health eight years after the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    4. Maria Pavlova & Rainer Silbereisen & Kamil Sijko, 2014. "Social Participation in Poland: Links to Emotional Well-Being and Risky Alcohol Consumption," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(1), pages 29-44, May.
    5. Franziska Gassmann & Bruno Martorano & Jennifer Waidler, 2022. "How Social Assistance Affects Subjective Wellbeing: Lessons from Kyrgyzstan," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(4), pages 827-847, April.
    6. Isabel Neira & Fernando Bruna & Marta Portela & Adela García-Aracil, 2018. "Individual Well-Being, Geographical Heterogeneity and Social Capital," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1067-1090, April.
    7. Iddisah Sulemana, 2015. "The Effect of Fear of Crime and Crime Victimization on Subjective Well-Being in Africa," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 121(3), pages 849-872, April.
    8. Nikolova, Milena, 2016. "Minding the happiness gap: Political institutions and perceived quality of life in transition," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 45(S), pages 129-148.
    9. Eiji Yamamura, 2011. "Differences in the effect of social capital on health status between workers and non-workers," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 58(4), pages 385-400, December.
    10. O'Donnell, Gus & Oswald, Andrew J., 2015. "National well-being policy and a weighted approach to human feelings," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 59-70.
    11. Alexandra Cristina Sãžrbu & Mircea Asandului, 2021. "Determinants Of Subjective Well-Being Among Romanian Older Adults," Review of Economic and Business Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, issue 28, pages 111-124, December.
    12. van der Cruijsen, Carin A.B. & Eijffinger, Sylvester C.W., 2010. "From actual to perceived transparency: The case of the European Central Bank," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 388-399, June.
    13. Markus Knell & Helmut Stix, 2021. "Inequality, perception biases and trust," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 19(4), pages 801-824, December.
    14. Jacqueline Beuningen & Hans Schmeets, 2013. "Developing a Social Capital Index for the Netherlands," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 113(3), pages 859-886, September.
    15. Borowiecki, Karol Jan & Kavetsos, Georgios, 2015. "In fatal pursuit of immortal fame: Peer competition and early mortality of music composers," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 30-42.
    16. Marc Hooghe, 2012. "I’m Happy, Hope You’re Happy Too," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 17-29, March.
    17. Anna Almakaeva & Eduard Ponarin & Christian Welzel, 2014. "Human Development And Generalized Trust: Multilevel Evidence," HSE Working papers WP BRP 58/SOC/2014, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    18. De Luca, Giacomo Davide & Lin, Xi, 2024. "The role of health and health systems in promoting social capital, political participation and peace: A narrative review," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    19. Bruno Arpino & Anastassia V. Obydenkova, 2020. "Democracy and Political Trust Before and After the Great Recession 2008: The European Union and the United Nations," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 148(2), pages 395-415, April.
    20. Hayat, Muhammad Azmat & Farvaque, Etienne, 2012. "Public attitudes towards central bank independence: Lessons from the foundation of the ECB," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 512-523.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:67:y:2021:i:6:p:680-686. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.