Posttraumatic Growth after the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster: Examination of Free Descriptions among Fukushima Residents Who Lived in the Evacuation Area.

Hajime Iwasa,Masatsugu Orui,Seiji Yasumura,Nobuaki Moriyama,Chihiro Nakayama

doi:10.3390/ijerph19010192

Abstract

We examined the differences in the posttraumatic growth (PTG) free descriptions from clusters of Fukushima residents (evacuation and non-evacuation zones) who experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the relationship between “recovery from radiation anxiety” and the PTG-free description classification in these regions. A mail survey was conducted in August 2016 among Fukushima residents aged 20–79 years for free descriptions of their PTG. Participants were then divided into the “no anxiety,” “recovered from anxiety,” and “unrecovered from anxiety” groups based on their “recovery from radiation anxiety.” Data from 786 responses were analyzed. The PTG-free descriptions were classified into eight categories. Among those who lived in the evacuation zone versus those in the non-evacuation zone, “relating to others” (non-evacuation zone: 11.9% vs. evacuation zone: 18.4%) and “appreciation of life” (non-evacuation zone: 2.7% vs. evacuation zone: 9.8%) were significantly higher, and “increased awareness of disaster prevention” (non-evacuation zone: 20.4% vs. evacuation zone: 8.0%) was significantly lower. In the evacuation zone, “renewed recognition of nuclear issues” was significantly lower than the expected value in the no anxiety group (3.1%) and significantly higher than the expected value in the recovered group (22.9%). Further studies are needed to build support measures and potentially aid in preparing for future disasters.

Highlights

A massive earthquake and tsunami occurred along the broader of the Pacific coast of eastern Japan on 11 March 2011 that caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station accident [1]
In recent years, it has been reported that those who have experienced such difficult events undergo positive psychological transformation known as posttraumatic growth (PTG) [8,9]
The results showed that about 55% of the total experienced PTG, and those who recovered from anxiety about radiation health effects were more likely to experience PTG

Summary

Introduction

A massive earthquake and tsunami occurred along the broader of the Pacific coast of eastern Japan on 11 March 2011 (the Great East Japan Earthquake; GEJE) that caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station accident [1]. To examine the relationship between information on life and health and the health status of the residents of the Fukushima Prefecture who experienced the GEJE. They aimed to report basic information that would contribute to the response to large-scale and nuclear disasters. Life-threatening stressful events, such as disasters, have a considerable negative impact on those who experience them, causing mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder [7]. Previous studies have reported evidence of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) in various situations involving motor vehicle accidents [10], natural disasters [11], life-threatening diseases [12], war veterans [13], and assault [14]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion