Depressive Symptoms and Associated Factors in Female Students in Fukushima Four Years after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Disaster

Abstract

Young women in their late teens and early 20s are at the highest risk for depression onset. The present study aimed to assess depressive symptoms among female college students in Fukushima. More specifically, it aimed to clarify factors predicting possible symptom profiles, with an emphasis on determining how nuclear radiation risks affect the reporting of depression symptoms. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 310 female students at a college in the Fukushima prefecture, Japan, in December 2015, and 288 participants submitted valid questionnaires. In total, 222 (77.1%) participants lived in Fukushima at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The measures included the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index, the Fukushima Future Parents Attitude Measure, and risk perception of radiation health effects. A total of 46.5% of participants reported depressive symptoms. Path analysis revealed that higher radiation risk perceptions and reduced efficacy with reproduction related to a decline in self-esteem and self-efficacy, which was subsequently associated with increased depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of radiation education among children and young adults, both after a nuclear accident and during disaster preparation, particularly in the context of reproductive and mental health.

Mental health consequences for survivors of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster: a systematic review. Part 2: emotional and behavioral consequences

“…Of the 41 studies assessing emotional consequences, 15 studies (36.6%) analyzed perceptions about the nuclear disaster, especially about radiation health effects. 22,23,[28][29][30]32,[34][35][36][37][38]40,[44][45][46] These effects included not only the early health effects (ie, acute radiation syndrome and fetus/infant effect), but also late health effects (eg, effects on future generations).…”

Disruption of Child Environments and Its Psychological Consequences After the Fukushima Disaster: a Narrative Review Based on the Ecological Systems Model

“…Such concerns reflect similar discrimination experienced by atomic bomb survivors reported almost half a century ago [44]. Female college students affected by the Fukushima disaster also reported similar concerns [45]. Discrimination against atomic bomb survivors engendered the long-term stigma that impacted survivors' life decisions regarding marriage, pregnancy, and employment [46,47].…”

Mental health consequences for survivors of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster: a systematic review. Part 1: psychological consequences

“…21 For non-FHMS studies (n = 46; 60.5%), a large number of the studies used convenience samples and focused on evacuees (living in and out of the Fukushima prefecture), children, and older adults. Other study populations focused on specific populations, such as hospital patients, 15,23,45,47,54,85,86 caregivers, 19,71 students, 16,30,33,42,[48][49][50]62 and workers of various occupations. Specifically, a series of studies were conducted among the NPP workers.…”