Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-xtgtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T12:15:26.342Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Immediate Physical and Mental Health Crisis in Residents Proximal to the Evacuation Zone After Japan's Nuclear Disaster: An Observational Pilot Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 February 2014

Masaharu Tsubokura ,
Kazuo Hara ,
Tomoko Matsumura ,
Amina Sugimoto ,
Shuhei Nomura ,
Masamitsu Hinata ,
Kenji Shibuya  and
Masahiro Kami
Masaharu Tsubokura*
Affiliation:
Division of Social Communication System for Advanced Clinical Research, the Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Kazuo Hara
Affiliation:
Department of Metabolic Disease, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Tomoko Matsumura
Affiliation:
Division of Social Communication System for Advanced Clinical Research, the Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Amina Sugimoto
Affiliation:
Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Shuhei Nomura
Affiliation:
Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Masamitsu Hinata
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Ichiyokai Hospital, Fukushima; Japan
Kenji Shibuya
Affiliation:
Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Masahiro Kami
Affiliation:
Division of Social Communication System for Advanced Clinical Research, the Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Masaharu Tsubokura, MD, Division of Social Communication System for Advanced Clinical Research, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1, Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan e-mail tsubokura-tky@umin.ac.jp.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

The 2011 earthquake and Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan have had devastating effects on residents near the damaged nuclear power plant, but quantifying its effect on their health has been difficult.

Methods

Among the 564 residents of Iitate Village and Soma City who enrolled in this study, we evaluated the changes of clinical parameters in 155 participants who underwent annual health evaluations in the previous year and after the earthquake. Psychological distress was also measured by using patient health questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9).

Results

Participants (median age, 64 years) showed significant post-disaster increases in body weight, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and triglyceride levels. PHQ-9 scores of 10 or greater were found in 12% of the subjects, indicating that a substantial number had major depression.

Conclusions

The findings in this study showed substantial deterioration in clinical parameters related to lifestyle diseases and the presence of general psychological distress among residents living near the damaged nuclear power plant after the Fukushima Daiichi disaster. In addition to controlling the levels of radiation exposure, aggressive management of immediate physical and mental health crisis for residents may be necessary in future nuclear accidents. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1–7)

Keywords

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plantchronic diseasedeterioration
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , February 2014 , pp. 30 - 36
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Thielen, H. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident--an overview. Health Phys. 2012;103(2):169-174.Google Scholar
2. Brumfiel, G, Cyranoski, D. Quake sparks nuclear crisis. Nature. 2011;471(7338):273-275.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Makinen, J. Japan steps up nuclear plant precautions: Kan apologizes. Los Angeles Times; March 25, 2011.Google Scholar
4. Bell, M. Fukushima nuclear fallout evacuation zone expanded. Washigton Post; April 22, 2011.Google Scholar
5. Tabuchi, H. Inquiry sees chaos in evacuations after Japan tsunami. New York Times; July 23, 2012.Google Scholar
6. Tsubokura, M, Gilmour, S, Takahashi, K, Oikawa, T, Kanazawa, Y. Internal radiation exposure after the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. JAMA. 2012;308(7):669-670.Google Scholar
7. Hayano, RS, Tsubokura, M, Miyazaki, M, etal. Internal radiocesium contamination of adults and children in Fukushima 7 to 20 months after the Fukushima NPP accident as measured by extensive whole-body-counter surveys. Proc Jpn Acad Ser B Phys Biol Sci. 2013;89(4):157-163.Google Scholar
8. Sugimoto, A, Krull, S, Nomura, S, Morita, T, Tsubokura, M. The voice of the most vulnerable: lessons from the nuclear crisis in Fukushima, Japan. Bull World Health Organ. 2012;90(8):629-630.Google Scholar
9. Tsubokura, M, Mori, J, Tanimoto, T, Oikawa, T. A dog bite injury after the Fukushima nuclear accident. Intern Med. 2012;51(17):2493.Google Scholar
10. Mori, J, Tsubokura, M, Sugimoto, A, etal. Increased incidence of dog-bite injuries after the Fukushima nuclear accident. Prev Med. 2013;57(4):363-365.Google Scholar
11. Harasawa, K, Tanimoto, T, Kami, M, Oikawa, T, Kanazawa, Y, Komatsu, H. Health problems in the temporary housing in Fukushima. Lancet. 2012;379(9833):2240-2241.Google Scholar
12. Shigemura, J, Tanigawa, T, Saito, I, Nomura, S. Psychological distress in workers at the Fukushima nuclear power plants. JAMA. 2012;308(7):667-669.Google Scholar
13. Ishii, T, Ito, K, Kato, S, etal. A report from Fukushima: an assessment of bone health in an area affected by the Fukushima nuclear plant incident. J Bone Miner Metab. 2013;31(6):613-617.Google Scholar
14. Tsubokura, M, Takita, M, Matsumura, T, etal. Changes in metabolic profiles after the Great East Japan Earthquake: a retrospective observational study. BMC Public Health. 2013;13:267.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Kuzuya, T, Nakagawa, S, Satoh, J, etal. Report of the Committee on the classification and diagnostic criteria of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2002;55(1):65-85.Google Scholar
16. Kroenke, K, Spitzer, RL, Williams, JB. The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2001;16(9):606-613.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17. Sugimoto, A, Nomura, S, Tsubokura, M, etal. The relationship between media consumption and health-related anxieties after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. PloS One. 2013;8(8):e65331.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18. Kario, K, Ohashi, T. Increased coronary heart disease mortality after the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake among the older community on Awaji Island. Tsuna Medical Association. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1997;45(5):610-613.Google Scholar
19. Minami, J, Kawano, Y, Ishimitsu, T, Yoshimi, H, Takishita, S. Effect of the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake on home blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension. Am J Hypertens. 1997;10(2):222-225.Google Scholar
20. Saito, K, Kim, JI, Maekawa, K, Ikeda, Y, Yokoyama, M. The great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake aggravates blood pressure control in treated hypertensive patients. Am J Hypertens. 1997;10(2):217-221.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21. Fonseca, VA, Smith, H, Kuhadiya, N, etal. Impact of a natural disaster on diabetes: exacerbation of disparities and long-term consequences. Diabetes Care. 2009;32(9):1632-1638.Google Scholar
22. Fuzik, M, Prysyazhnyuk, A, Shibata, Y, etal. Thyroid cancer incidence in Ukraine: trends with reference to the Chernobyl accident. Radiat Environ Biophys. 2011;50(1):47-55.Google Scholar
23. Saenko, V, Ivanov, V, Tsyb, A, etal. The Chernobyl accident and its consequences. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 2011;23(4):234-343.Google Scholar
24. Hatch, M, Ron, E, Bouville, A, Zablotska, L, Howe, G. The Chernobyl disaster: cancer following the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Epidemiol Rev. 2005;27:56-66.Google Scholar
25. Embassy of the United States Japan. A Message to American Citizens from Ambassador John V. Roos; March 17, 2011. http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/p/tp-20110317-01.html. Accessed January 20, 2014.Google Scholar
26. Yasumura, S, Goto, A, Yamazaki, S, Reich, MR. Excess mortality among relocated institutionalized elderly after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Public Health. 2012.Google ScholarPubMed
27. Nomura, S, Gilmour, S, Tsubokura, M, etal. Mortality risk amongst nursing home residentsevacuated after the Fukushima nuclear accident: a retrospective cohort study. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e60192.Google Scholar
28. Onishi, N, Fackler, M. In nuclear crisis, crippling mistrust. New York Times; June 12, 2011.Google Scholar
29. Fackler, M. Radiation fears and distrust push thousands from homes. New York Times; March 17, 2011.Google Scholar