Changes in the mental health status of adolescents following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident and related factors: Fukushima Health Management Survey.
Disaster-related experiences
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident
Fukushima Health Management Survey
Mental health
Journal
Journal of affective disorders
ISSN: 1573-2517
Titre abrégé: J Affect Disord
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 7906073
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 01 2020
01 01 2020
Historique:
received:
18
03
2019
revised:
31
07
2019
accepted:
08
09
2019
pubmed:
21
9
2019
medline:
15
12
2020
entrez:
21
9
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The present study examined the data from the Fukushima Health Management Survey conducted after the Great East Japan Earthquake to identify disaster-related factors affecting the mental health status of adolescents following the disaster and obtained basic data necessary in providing mental healthcare. The study included 2808 adolescents aged 15-19 years (male: 1327; female: 1481) who completed the 2011 edition of the registered questionnaire. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale scores, age, sex, health status, sleep satisfaction level, Great East Japan Earthquake experience, experience of losing a loved one, change in employment status, change in residence, and awareness of the impact of radiation on health were examined. Psychological distress was significantly correlated with sex, health status, sleep satisfaction of, experience of losing a loved one, change in employment status, extreme anxiety regarding the acute health impact of radiation, and extreme anxiety regarding the impact of radiation on health in adolescents and the next generation. The present study is limited because of its cross-sectional design, due to which, the causal relationship between each factor and psychological distress could not be clarified. The results of the present study suggest that appropriate mental healthcare should be administered immediately following an earthquake to adolescents who have lost a loved one and experienced anxiety regarding the health impact of radiation following a nuclear accident.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
The present study examined the data from the Fukushima Health Management Survey conducted after the Great East Japan Earthquake to identify disaster-related factors affecting the mental health status of adolescents following the disaster and obtained basic data necessary in providing mental healthcare.
METHODS
The study included 2808 adolescents aged 15-19 years (male: 1327; female: 1481) who completed the 2011 edition of the registered questionnaire. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale scores, age, sex, health status, sleep satisfaction level, Great East Japan Earthquake experience, experience of losing a loved one, change in employment status, change in residence, and awareness of the impact of radiation on health were examined.
RESULTS
Psychological distress was significantly correlated with sex, health status, sleep satisfaction of, experience of losing a loved one, change in employment status, extreme anxiety regarding the acute health impact of radiation, and extreme anxiety regarding the impact of radiation on health in adolescents and the next generation.
LIMITATIONS
The present study is limited because of its cross-sectional design, due to which, the causal relationship between each factor and psychological distress could not be clarified.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study suggest that appropriate mental healthcare should be administered immediately following an earthquake to adolescents who have lost a loved one and experienced anxiety regarding the health impact of radiation following a nuclear accident.
Identifiants
pubmed: 31539677
pii: S0165-0327(19)30660-3
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.09.045
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
432-439Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.