TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2018//
TI  - Effects of disaster damage and working conditions on mental health among public servants 16 months after the Great East Japan Earthquake
JO  - Disaster medicine and public health preparedness
A1  - Fukasawa, Maiko
A1  - Suzuki, Yuriko
A1  - Obara, Akiko
A1  - Kim, Yoshiharu
SP  - 622
EP  - 630
VL  - 12
IS  - 5
N2  - 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>
LA  - en
SN  - 1935-7893
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2017.127
ID  - ref1
ER  -