@article{ref1,
title="Effects of disaster damage and working conditions on mental health among public servants 16 months after the Great East Japan Earthquake",
journal="Disaster medicine and public health preparedness",
year="2018",
author="Fukasawa, Maiko and Suzuki, Yuriko and Obara, Akiko and Kim, Yoshiharu",
volume="12",
number="5",
pages="622-630",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To explore whether stressors after a disaster have later effects on the mental health of public servants who engage in disaster response and to estimate the proportion of those experiencing persistent mental distress. <br><br>METHODS: We analyzed the data of health surveys conducted in Miyagi Prefecture for all prefectural public servants at 2, 7, and 16 months after the Great East Japan Earthquake (n=3174). We investigated relationships between mental distress (defined as K6≥10) at 16 months after the earthquake and earthquake damage and working conditions at 2 months. We also calculated the proportion of participants who scored K6≥10 on all 3 surveys. <br><br>RESULTS: The experience of living someplace other than one's own home was significantly related with mental distress at 16 months after the earthquake. Few participants consistently scored K6≥10 throughout all 3 surveys. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The effects of stressors in the aftermath of a disaster could remain for a long time. Few public servants experienced persistent mental distress. Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;page 1 of 9.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1935-7893",
doi="10.1017/dmp.2017.127",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2017.127"
}