The impact of the Great East Japan earthquake on mandatory psychiatric emergency hospitalizations in Tokyo: a retrospective observational study

Abstract

On 11 March 2011, the eastern part of Japan was struck by a magnitude 9.0 quake. About 20 000 people were killed or weremissing, and a nuclear crisis followed. In Tokyo, people were indirectly exposed to the earthquake and nuclear crisis by TV broadcast. The aim of our study was to evaluate the potential effect of the series of catastrophes on psychiatric emergency hospitalizations in Tokyo. Clinical records of patients who were mandatorily admitted to Tokyo Metropolitan Matsuzawa Hospital by law because of urgent risk to self or others were reviewed. Records regarding the 2 years of investigation, which include the 6 months after the earthquake, were reviewed. The six months after the earthquake were compared with the eighteen months before the earthquake in clinical and demographic data using independent t-tests or χ2 tests. During the 6 months before and after the earthquake, 97 and 127 people were mandatorily admitted. χ2 Tests demonstrated a significant increase in the number of patients after the earthquake (P=0.045), attributable to the significant increase in the number of patients with schizophrenia after the earthquake (P=0.011, 32 vs 56), whereas there were no significant differences in the number of patients with other diagnoses between those two periods. Independent t-tests revealed that patients admitted after the earthquake had marginally significantly shorter periods of education compared with those admitted before the earthquake (13.78 vs 12.82 years, P=0.084). This work suggests that patients with schizophrenia were more sensitive to indirect exposure to the earthquake and that a shorter period of education was a potential risk factor.

Influence of the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake and Its Aftershocks on the Response to Prophylactic Therapy with Lomerizine in Patients with Migraine in Tokyo: A Retrospective Study

“…In Tokyo, the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean earthquake caused few human casualties (7 people were killed) and little property damage [24]. However, the aftershocks continued for several months.…”

“…However, the aftershocks continued for several months. In addition, TV programs broadcasted scenes of the earthquake, tsunami, nuclear crisis and the effects of radiation [24]; thus, patients with migraine may have been exposed to stressful environments that influenced their mental health. Aoki et al [24] showed that the condition of patients with schizophrenia in Tokyo worsened after the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean earthquake and suggested the contribution of TV programs to these effects in patients.…”

“…In addition, TV programs broadcasted scenes of the earthquake, tsunami, nuclear crisis and the effects of radiation [24]; thus, patients with migraine may have been exposed to stressful environments that influenced their mental health. Aoki et al [24] showed that the condition of patients with schizophrenia in Tokyo worsened after the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean earthquake and suggested the contribution of TV programs to these effects in patients. Therefore, it is possible that more frequent or worsened headaches may have been caused not only by the earthquake but also by exposure to TV programs about the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident.…”

Medium- and long-term health effects of earthquakes in high-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…We trust that the experience accrued in the past three decades on the epidemiology of earthquakes, and summarized in the present paper, may serve to inform further steps to endure promotion of the population's health in the aftermath of earthquakes. 44 Great East Japan (2011) Time-series (T) 47 Los Angeles (1994), USA Time-series (T) 52 Great East Japan (2011) 55 Great East Japan (2011)…”

Prevalence of Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts after Disaster and Mass Casualty Incidents in the World: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Studies on mental health of people affected by disasters have shown that the incidence of mental disorders, fear, stress, anxiety and depression after disasters have increased ( 8 - 12 ). It has also been observed that people who had minor mental disorders before the occurrence of the disasters had severe mental disorders or diseases after the occurrence of the disasters, so that if no intervention measures are taken and these disorders and mental illnesses are not treated, they eventually attempted suicide and, in some cases died ( 11 , 13 - 15 ).…”