Features of causes of indirect certified disaster-related death in areas affected by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident: an observational study
Masaharu Tsubokura,
Akihiko Ozaki,
Toyoaki Sawano,
Tomoyoshi Oikawa,
Arinobu Hori,
Tianchen Zhao,
Moe Kawashima,
Chika Yamamoto,
Hiroki Yoshimura,
Saori Nonaka,
Yuna Uchi,
Kemmei Kitazawa,
Mamoru Sakakibara,
Makiko Sudo,
Kazuko Yagiuchi,
Mako Otsuki,
Shinichi Niwa
Affiliations
Masaharu Tsubokura
3 Research Center for Community Health, Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital, Minamisoma, Japan
Akihiko Ozaki
3 Department of Research, Research Center for Community Health, Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital, Fukushima, Japan
Toyoaki Sawano
1 Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
Tomoyoshi Oikawa
13 Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital, Minamisoma, Japan
Arinobu Hori
11 Department of Psychiatry, Hori Mental Clinic, Minamisoma, Japan
Tianchen Zhao
1 Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
Moe Kawashima
4 Shirakawa Kosei General Hospital, Shirakawa, Japan
Chika Yamamoto
1 Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
Hiroki Yoshimura
1 Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
Saori Nonaka
1 Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
Yuna Uchi
1 Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
Kemmei Kitazawa
1 Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
Mamoru Sakakibara
7 Reinstatement Support Center for Nurses, Fukushima, Japan
Makiko Sudo
8 St Olive Nursing Home, Fukushima, Japan
Kazuko Yagiuchi
9 Nagomi Psychiatric Clinic, Fukushima, Japan
Mako Otsuki
10 Department of Nursing, Fukushima Medical University Hospital, Fukushima, Japan
Shinichi Niwa
14 Department of Psychiatry, Fukushima Medical University Aizu Medical Center, Aizu, Japan
Objectives To investigate the details of disaster-related deaths due to the indirect health effects of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident following the Great East-Japan Earthquake in 2011 and serve as a source of reference in the event of similar circumstances in the future.Design A retrospective observational study.Setting Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, which is located 13–38 km north of the FDNPP.Participants 520 residents of Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, who were certified as having died from disaster-related causes between September 2011 and February 2021.Results The most common cause of death was circulatory system diseases (27.7%), followed by respiratory system diseases (25.0%) and neoplasms (15.4%). The prevalence of circulatory and respiratory diseases is higher in older people, suggesting that they are more susceptible to indirect health effects due to the environmental changes related to evacuation. Malignant neoplasms accounted for the third and leading cause of death overall and for people in their 50s, respectively, implying the potential impact of evacuation on cancer diagnosis and treatment. Suicide is the leading cause of death among younger people and can occur even long after a disaster, which shows the psychological impact of environmental changes.Conclusion To prevent indirect disaster-related deaths in the future, it is important to consider appropriate intervention methods by age group and period since disaster occurrence. It is especially important to improve the environment of evacuation shelters and establish a healthcare system for evacuees, create a system for cancer screening and treatment during evacuation and expand long-term suicide prevention measures.
