Masaharu Tsubokura1, Kazuo Hara2, Tomoko Matsumura1, Amina Sugimoto3, Shuhei Nomura3, Masamitsu Hinata4, Kenji Shibuya3, Masahiro Kami1. 1. Division of Social Communication System for Advanced Clinical Research, the Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. 2. Department of Metabolic Disease, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. 3. Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Ichiyokai Hospital, Fukushima; Japan.
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.
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.
Authors: Alejandra Casillas; Cristina Valdovinos; Elizabeth Wang; Anshu Abhat; Carmen Mendez; Griselda Gutierrez; Jennifer Portz; Arleen Brown; Courtney R Lyles Journal: Front Digit Health Date: 2022-08-09
Authors: Claire Leppold; Shuhei Nomura; Toyoaki Sawano; Akihiko Ozaki; Masaharu Tsubokura; Sarah Hill; Yukio Kanazawa; Hiroshi Anbe Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2017-05-19 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Nobuaki Moriyama; Hajime Iwasa; Masaharu Tsubokura; Yujiro Kuroda; Seiji Yasumura Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-07-28 Impact factor: 3.390