Persistent distress after psychological exposure to the Nagasaki atomic bomb explosion

Kim, Yoshiharu; Tsutsumi, Atsuro; Izutsu, Takashi; Kawamura, Noriyuki; Miyazaki, Takao; Kikkawa, Takehiko

doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.110.085472

Cited by 35 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…In a review of the Chernobyl Forum in 2006, the WHO concluded that mental health disturbances were the most serious public health problem [18]. A previous study suggested that psychological exposure to the Nagasaki atomic bomb explosion, without substantial health harming radiological exposure, generated prolonged distress even after half a century, and that poor information provision contributed to this distress [19]. Our investigation concurs, as we found that for residents in areas of radioactive contamination, their perceived threat to health had a negative impact on their mental wellbeing, even though radioactivity rarely reached health-threatening levels.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The psychological impact of a dual-disaster caused by earthquakes and radioactive contamination in Ichinoseki after the Great East Japan Earthquake

et al. 2014

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BackgroundThe psychological impact of dual-disasters (earthquakes and a nuclear accident), on affected communities is unknown. This study investigated the impact of a dual-disaster (earthquakes and radioactive contamination) on the prevalence of psychological distress in a landlocked city within the Tohoku area, Japan.MethodsA cross-sectional mail-in survey with a random sample of inhabitants from Ichinoseki city was conducted eleven months after the disasters, and data from 902 respondents were analyzed by logistic regression models, with multiple imputation methodology. The K6 was used to determine psychological distress.ResultsThe estimated prevalence of psychological distress was 48.0 percent. House damage due to earthquakes and anxiety about radioactive contamination were significantly associated with psychological distress (p < 0.05), while an interactive effect between house damage and anxiety about radioactive contamination was not significant. Being female, middle-to-low educational status and unemployed were additional risk factors for psychological distress.ConclusionsThis dual-disaster was associated with a moderate prevalence of psychological distress in the area. The impact of the earthquake and radioactive contamination appeared additive.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The psychological impact of a dual-disaster caused by earthquakes and radioactive contamination in Ichinoseki after the Great East Japan Earthquake

et al. 2014

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“…Given the long-term psychological impact among atomic-bomb survivors (Lifton 1967; Ohta et al 2000; Honda et al 2002; Yamada and Izumi 2002; Kim et al 2011), along with anecdotal news reports and studies of volunteer populations after Fukushima, there is reason to believe that the long-term psychological and subjective health aftermath for mothers of young children will follow a similar pattern. In Ukraine, doctors often indiscriminately attributed the health concerns reported by mothers to radiation exposure from Chernobyl.…”

Section: Mothers Of Young Childrenmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ultimately, nonpsychiatrist physicians will also need to learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health problems, including psychosomatic manifestations, and will need to know how to differentiate between genuine radiation-health effects and psychologically-driven or mediated concerns. It is very likely that for individuals directly impacted by Fukushima, as occurred among physically healthy survivors decades after the atomic-bomb explosion in Nagasaki (Kim et al 2011), the psychological distress occurring in the immediate aftermath of Fukushima will become chronic. Thus, long-term management will be required by both mental health professionals and nonmental health medical providers.…”

Section: Comment and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotional Consequences of Nuclear Power Plant Disasters

Bromet¹

2014

Health Physics

122

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The emotional consequences of nuclear power plant disasters include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and medically unexplained somatic symptoms. These effects are often long term and associated with fears about developing cancer. Research on disasters involving radiation, particularly evidence from Chernobyl, indicates that mothers of young children and cleanup workers are the highest risk groups. The emotional consequences occur independently of the actual exposure received. In contrast, studies of children raised in the shadows of the Three Mile Island (TMI) and Chernobyl accidents suggest that although their self-rated health is less satisfactory than that of their peers, their emotional, academic, and psychosocial development is comparable. The importance of the psychological impact is underscored by its chronicity and by several studies showing that poor mental health is associated with physical health conditions, early mortality, disability, and over-utilization of medical services. Given the established increase in mental health problems following TMI and Chernobyl, it is likely that the same pattern will occur in residents and evacuees affected by the Fukushima meltdowns. Preliminary data from Fukushima indeed suggest that workers and mothers of young children are at risk of depression, anxiety, psychosomatic, and post-traumatic symptoms both as a direct result of their fears about radiation exposure and an indirect result of societal stigma. Thus, it is important that nonmental health providers learn to recognize and manage psychological symptoms and that medical programs be designed to reduce stigma and alleviate psychological suffering by integrating psychiatric and medical treatment within the walls of their clinics.

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“…A recent study (Kim et al 2011) shows that psychological exposure to Nagasaki atomic bomb explosion, without substantial health harming radiological exposure, generated prolonged distress after half a century and the poor information provision was correlated. A study after Chernobyl has shown that diagnosis of depression and PTSD increased among clean-up workers 18 years after the accident (Loganovsky et al 2008).…”

Section: Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accidentmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Great East Japan earthquake in 2011; toward sustainable mental health care system

Suzuki

Kim

2012

Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci

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In face with a triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant accident, the degrees of which are historically hardly preceded, immediate mental health countermeasure was taken by the initiative of the national and local government together with academic and clinical organizations. Based on previous experience of natural disasters, more than 50 mental health care teams have been organized and dispatched to the affected areas, scheduled by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. When 6 months have passed, the acute and temporal support system should be replaced with more sustainable local networks with aims at promoting resilience, though community psychiatric service should be developed as well. Existing guidelines should be respected but actually it tended to be only partially recognized. In Fukushima prefecture, where nuclear plant accident occurred, its mental health impact is most concerned and long-term follow-up of the residents' health has been being planned.

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Persistent distress after psychological exposure to the Nagasaki atomic bomb explosion

Cited by 35 publications

References 14 publications

The psychological impact of a dual-disaster caused by earthquakes and radioactive contamination in Ichinoseki after the Great East Japan Earthquake

The psychological impact of a dual-disaster caused by earthquakes and radioactive contamination in Ichinoseki after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Emotional Consequences of Nuclear Power Plant Disasters

The Great East Japan earthquake in 2011; toward sustainable mental health care system

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