Posttraumatic negative cognitions and nurses’ mental health: One year after the Great East Japan earthquake and nuclear accident in Fukushima

Abstract

The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake hit Fukushima Prefecture with an unprecedented array of disasters—an earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant accident, causing trauma to residents. Nurses in local hospitals were traumatized both as victims of the disasters themselves, and secondarily due to experiences treating other victims instead of evacuating. A questionnaire survey was administered to 118 nurses at a hospital within 50 km of the nuclear accident site to determine their posttraumatic negative cognitions, posttraumatic stress symptoms, anxiety and depressive symptoms, social support, resilience, and relationship to the events experienced by the nurses during the disaster. A significant proportion of nurses (87.3%) reported experiencing a traumatic event during the disaster, with 15.3% subsequently missing work. The latter group showed significantly higher posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms than those who continued working. Additionally, negative posttraumatic cognitions were associated with evacuation. The study found that 26.3% of respondents met the criteria for a positive posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cutoff; 11.9% reported high levels of anxiety and depression. The results also showed that resilience and supervisor support significantly reduced stress levels. These findings suggest that participants remained under high stress one year post-disaster, possibly due to persistent anxiety about radiation exposure. Additionally, those who took time off work during the disaster showed higher negative cognitions and PTS symptoms. Establishing a supportive workplace culture that does not stigmatize employees for taking leave during disasters is crucial. Developing external support systems and enhancing resilience can help alleviate stress and trauma among affected individuals.