@article{ref1,
title="Longitudinal effects of disaster-related experiences on mental health among Fukushima nuclear plant workers: the Fukushima NEWS Project Study",
journal="Psychological medicine",
year="2017",
author="Ikeda, A. and Tanigawa, T. and Charvat, H. and Wada, H. and Shigemura, J. and Kawachi, I.",
volume="47",
number="11",
pages="1936-1946",
abstract="BACKGROUND: The Fukushima Nuclear Energy Workers' Support (NEWS) Project Study previously showed that experiences related to the Fukushima nuclear disaster on 11 March 2011 had a great impact on psychological states, including post-traumatic stress response (PTSR) and general psychological distress (GPD), among the Fukushima nuclear plant workers. To determine the causal relationship between disaster-related experiences and levels of psychological states, we conducted a 3-year longitudinal study from 2011 to 2014. <br><br>METHOD: PTSR and GPD of the nuclear plant workers were assessed by annual questionnaires conducted from 2011 to 2014. The present study included a total of 1417 workers who provided an assessment at baseline (2011). A total of 4160 observations were used in the present analysis. The relationship between disaster-related experiences and psychological states over time was analysed using mixed-effects logistic regression models. <br><br>RESULTS: A declining influence of disaster-related experiences on PTSR over time was found. However, the impact on PTSR remained significantly elevated even 3 years after the disaster in several categories of exposure including the experience of life-threatening danger, experiences of discrimination, the witnessing of plant explosion, the death of a colleague and home evacuation. The associations between GPD and disaster-related experiences showed similar effects. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The effects of disaster-related experiences on psychological states among the nuclear plant workers reduced over time, but remained significantly high even 3 years after the event.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0033-2917",
doi="10.1017/S0033291717000320",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291717000320"
}