Abstract
BackgroundCurrently, few studies have thoroughly investigated the socioeconomic factors related to sleep problems among evacuees following a disaster. ObjectivesTo examine sleep problems in evacuees using data from a large-scale cohort survey of evacuees conducted after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE). MethodsIn sum, 73,433 residents who were living in evacuation zones responded to The 2011 Fukushima Health Management Survey. We excluded 16,659 participants who did not answer the question about sleep problems or those younger than 20 years. Thus, data from 56,774 participants (24,959 men and 31,815 women) were used for this analysis. Evacuees' self-reported sleep dissatisfaction was determined based on their response to the question ‘Are you satisfied with the quality of your sleep? ’. The response options ‘Unsatisfied’ and ‘Very unsatisfied’ were considered as the outcome for the present study. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the prevalence of self-reported sleep disturbance were estimated using modified Poisson regression models. ResultsOf the qualifying survey respondents, 20.3% (4387 men and 7128 women) reported sleep dissatisfaction. Compared with participants living in their own or a relative's home (PR = 1), those living in temporary housing or rental accommodation had a higher prevalence of sleep dissatisfaction (1.47; 95% CI 1.44–1.50 and 2.16; 95% CI 2.07–2.26 in men; 1.39; 95% CI 1.36–1.41 and 1.92; 95% CI 1.86–1.99 in women). Higher educational attainment was also associated with a higher prevalence of sleep dissatisfaction in men, as were job loss and decreased income in both men and women. ConclusionSelf-reported sleep dissatisfaction after the GEJE was associated with a deteriorated socioeconomic status among evacuees. However, future longitudinal studies are warranted.
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