scholarly journals Long-term observation of mortality among inpatients evacuated from psychiatric hospitals in Fukushima prefecture following the Fukushima nuclear disaster

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshihiro Terui ◽  
Yasuto Kunii ◽  
Hiroshi Hoshino ◽  
Takeyasu Kakamu ◽  
Tomoo Hidaka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Survival Time ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Psychiatric Hospitals ◽  
Psychiatric Inpatients ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
International Statistical Classification ◽  
Fukushima Nuclear Disaster ◽  
Long Term Observation

AbstractThe debate regarding the need for hospital evacuation and the evacuation distance remains rather chaotic. Furthermore, the relationship between hospital evacuation and the prognoses of psychiatric inpatients has not yet been investigated. We aimed to reveal the association between the long-term prognosis of psychiatric inpatients evacuated immediately following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident and their backgrounds. In this retrospective cohort study, 777 psychiatric inpatients who were immediately evacuated from their hospitals following the accident were included for analysis. Survival time was the primary outcome. We conducted univariable and multivariable analyses to examine the associations between mortality and linear distance of evacuation and different backgrounds, including psychiatric/physical traits. Univariable analysis showed that the estimated survival time among patients was significantly associated with their evacuation distance. A multivariable analysis showed that a longer evacuation distance had a significantly lower hazard ratio (HR) and resulted in lower mortality. In contrast, older patients with physical complications of respiratory disease (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th revision, J00–99) and genitourinary disease (N00–99) showed a significantly higher HR and had a higher mortality than patients without these complications. To prevent death among elderly psychiatric inpatients with physical comorbidities during disasters, the evacuation destination should be determined taking into consideration the evacuees’ tolerance for long-distance transportation and the availability of post-evacuation care in the destination hospitals.

Decontamination Work and the Long-term Increase in Hospital Visits for Hymenoptera Stings Following the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 545-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihiko Ozaki ◽  
Takeru Yokota ◽  
Shuhei Nomura ◽  
Masaharu Tsubokura ◽  
Claire Leppold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Records ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Worker Exposure ◽  
Nuclear Disaster ◽  
Field Worker ◽  
Hospital Visits ◽  
Fukushima Nuclear Disaster ◽  
Post Disaster ◽  
Insect Stings

AbstractObjectiveAnimals, including arthropods, are one health threat that can be affected by disasters. This institution-based study aimed to assess trends in Hymenoptera stings following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.MethodsWe reviewed the medical records of patients with hymenopteran stings who visited Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital, located 23 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, from March 2005 to March 2016. Patient and sting characteristics of post-disaster patients were examined, and the annual incidence of hospital visits for hymenopteran stings was compared with the pre-disaster baseline, calculating an incidence rate ratio (IRR) for each year.ResultsWe identified 152 pre-disaster patients (2005-2011) and 222 post-disaster patients (2011-2016). In the post-disaster period, 160 males (72.1%) were identified, with a median age of 59 years (range: 2-89 years). A total of 45 patients (20.3%) were decontamination workers. Post-disaster increases were found in the IRR for hymenopteran stings, peaking first in 2011 (IRR: 2.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9-4.2) and later in 2014 (IRR: 3.2; 95% CI: 2.4-4.3) and 2015 (IRR 3.3; 95% CI: 2.5-4.4).ConclusionsLong-term increases were found in the IRR of hospital visits for hymenopteran stings in an institution affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Decontamination workers appear to have been particularly affected by this phenomenon. Better disaster field worker monitoring and education about potential environmental health hazards may help to identify and prevent worker exposure to insect stings and other vectors in these settings. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:545–551)

scholarly journals Eritrea’s Chosen Trauma and the Legacy of the Martyrs: The Impact of Postmemory on Political Identity Formation of Second-Generation Diaspora Eritreans

2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-38
Author(s):  
Nicole Hirt
Keyword(s):  
Identity Formation ◽  
Second Generation ◽  
Political Identity ◽  
Media Analysis ◽  
Social Media Analysis ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Long Term Observation ◽  
The Impact

In the collective memory of Eritreans, the liberation struggle against Ethiopia symbolises the heroic fight of their fallen martyrs against oppression. After independence, the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front created an autocratic regime, which is adored by many second-generation diaspora Eritreans living in democracies. I engage with bodies of literature exploring the political importance of collective trauma in post-conflict societies and apply two theoretical notions, “postmemory” and “chosen trauma,” to explain how the government’s narrative of Eritrean history produced a culture of nationalism through the glorification of the martyrs. This narrative and the trauma experienced by their parents created experiences of postmemory among the second-generation diaspora that have influenced their worldview. I demonstrate how Eritrean pro-government activists utilise US-born artists who recently discovered their Eritreanness, such as Tiffany Haddish, to instil long-distance nationalism. The article is based on a social media analysis, long-term observation of Eritrean diaspora communities, and recent fieldwork.

Presence of Liver Steatosis Is Associated With Greater Diabetes Remission After Gastric Bypass Surgery

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roman Vangoitsenhoven ◽  
Rickesha Wilson ◽  
Deepa V Cherla ◽  
Chao Tu ◽  
Sangeeta R Kashyap ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gastric Bypass ◽  
Metabolic Surgery ◽  
Gastric Bypass Surgery ◽  
Liver Steatosis ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Diabetes Remission ◽  
Independent Association ◽  
Glycemic Outcomes ◽  
Design And Methods

<b>Objective</b>: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by insulin resistance (IR) and beta-cell dysfunction. Ectopic fat accumulation in liver and muscle causes IR. Since bariatric and metabolic surgery significantly improves fatty liver disease, <a>we hypothesized that coexistence of liver steatosis (i.e., when hepatic IR contributes in T2DM) would be associated with greater diabetes improvement after surgery.</a> <p> </p> <p><b>Research design and methods</b>: A total of 519 patients with T2DM who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and simultaneous liver biopsy and had a minimum 5-year follow-up were analyzed to assess the independent association between biopsy-proven liver steatosis and postoperative long-term diabetes remission (glycated hemoglobin < 6.5% off medications).</p> <p> </p> <p><b>Results</b>: Of the 407 patients with biopsy-proven liver steatosis, long-term diabetes remission was achieved in 211 (52%) patients, compared with 44/112 (39%) remission in patients without steatosis (P=0.027). In multivariable analysis, presence of liver steatosis was an independent predictor of long-term diabetes remission (odds ratio 1.96, [95% confidence interval 1.04 – 3.72], <i>P</i>=0.038). Hepatocyte ballooning, lobular inflammation, or fibrosis at baseline did not predict diabetes remission.</p> <p> </p> <p><b>Conclusion</b>: This study, for the first time, suggests that in patients with T2DM who are considering bariatric and metabolic surgery, coexistence of liver steatosis is associated with better long-term glycemic outcomes. Furthermore, our data suggest that there are different variants of T2DM wherein metabolic responses to surgical weight loss are different. A subgroup of patients whose T2DM is characterized by the presence of hepatic steatosis (presumably associated with worse IR) experience better postoperative metabolic outcomes.</p>

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