Associations Between the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami and the Sleep and Mental Health of Japanese People: A 3-Wave Repeated Survey

Background: This practical report aims to publicize the ongoing disaster-related mental health interventions following the Great East Japan Earthquake during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Disaster-related mental health interventions consisted of: (1) screening high-risk evacuees with high psychological distress (Kessler 6 score ≥ 13) or binge drinking; and (2) visiting selected high-risk individuals and providing them counseling through outreach in evacuee housing. These activity records were compiled from existing material in the Sendai City Office; therefore, no new interviews or questionnaire surveys were conducted. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, we introduced telephone counseling and shortened the time of support as a result of the restrictions. Counselors addressed issues of “loneliness” or “isolation” among evacuees, who had little connection with society due to the pandemic. Moreover, the procedure for obtaining COVID-19 special financial aid was explained to evacuees in financial difficulty. During this period, the suicide rates in the affected area did not increase significantly as compared to the national average. Conclusions: Our report may be instructive in terms of preventing suicide during the pandemic using high-risk approaches and counselors trained in disaster-related mental health interventions.

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Mental Health of the Children Living in the Temporary Housing Complex in Fukushima after the Great East Japan Earthquake (2)

The Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association ◽

10.4992/pacjpa.78.0_3pm-1-032 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 78 (0) ◽

pp. 3PM-1-032-3PM-1-032

Author(s):

Takahiro Okayasu ◽

Ayaka Miura ◽

Masae Miura

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Great East Japan Earthquake ◽

Temporary Housing ◽

Housing Complex

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Factors in Mental Health Problems among Japanese Dialysis Patients Living in Heavily Damaged Prefectures Two Years after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Advances in Psychiatry ◽

10.1155/2015/265907 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hidehiro Sugisawa ◽

Hiroaki Sugisaki ◽

Seiji Ohira ◽

Toshio Shinoda ◽

Yumiko Shimizu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Disaster Planning ◽

Health Problems ◽

Great East Japan Earthquake ◽

Specific Factor ◽

Dialysis Patients ◽

Related Factors ◽

Mitigating Factors

This study examined the prevalence of mental health problems and related factors among dialysis patients living in prefectures that were heavily damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Research was conducted two years following the disaster, and data of 1500 residents of the prefectures were analyzed. This study examined disaster related stressors, gender, socioeconomic status, health problems prior the earthquake, and social support, all of which have been identified as aggravating/mitigating factors in previous research on disaster survivors. We also examined advanced awareness of emergency planning as a dialysis specific factor. Mental health problems after the disaster were categorized into three types: PTSD and depression comorbidity, PTSD only, and depression only. Results indicated that people with comorbidity, PTSD, and depression comprised 7.5%, 25.0%, and 2.9% of the sample, respectively. Not only disaster related stressors but also health problems prior to the disaster had an aggravating direct effect on comorbidity and PTSD. In addition, social support and advanced awareness of disaster planning had a mitigating effect on comorbidity. These results suggest that advanced awareness of disaster planning is a dialysis specific factor that could decrease the occurrence of comorbidity among dialysis patients following a disaster.

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Suicide Rate Trends in the Tsunami-Disaster-Affected Area Following the Great East Japan Earthquake

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000832 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Masatsugu Orui ◽

Suzuka Saeki ◽

Yuki Kozakai ◽

Shuichiro Harada ◽

Mizuho Hayashi

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Suicide Rate ◽

Great East Japan Earthquake ◽

Short Time Scale ◽

Psychological Burden ◽

Affected Area ◽

Tsunami Disaster ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Miyagi Prefecture ◽

The Impact

Abstract. Background: People who experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) were expected to have additional levels of psychological burden resulting from the stressful conditions imposed during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; consequently, suicide rates may increase. Aim: We aimed to carry out continuous monitoring of suicide rates in the affected area following the GEJE under COVID-19 pandemic conditions. Method: This descriptive study monitored the suicide rates of the coastal area of Miyagi Prefecture, where disaster-related mental health activities have been continuing following severe damage caused by the tsunami disaster. An exponential smoothing time-series analysis that converted suicide rates into a smooth trend was conducted. Results: Although the suicide rate in the affected area was higher than the national average in February 2020, it showed a declining trend during the COVID-19 pandemic, while showing an increase trend in the national and non-affected areas. Limitations: Uncertainty about the direct reasons for suicide and the short time-scale observation are the limitations of this study. Conclusion: Although the national suicide rate increased, this was not the case for the affected area. Our findings may provide important lessons for suicide prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic, which needs careful regional monitoring of the state of suicide and of high-risk approaches such as disaster-related mental health activities.

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