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Association Between Radiation Risk Perception Related to the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster and Traumatic Stress Symptoms Induced by Media Reports of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2024

Toshihiro Terui Open the ORCID record for Toshihiro Terui [Opens in a new window] ,
Yasuto Kunii ,
Yukiko Kawasaki ,
Takeyasu Kakamu ,
Tomoo Hidaka Open the ORCID record for Tomoo Hidaka [Opens in a new window] ,
Hirooki Yabe  and
Itaru Miura
Toshihiro Terui*
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
Yasuto Kunii
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
Yukiko Kawasaki
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
Takeyasu Kakamu
Affiliation:
Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
Tomoo Hidaka
Affiliation:
Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
Hirooki Yabe
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
Itaru Miura
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
*
Corresponding author: Toshihiro Terui; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objectives

The Russian–Ukrainian War of 2022 (RUW-2022) was accompanied by the subsequent risk of accidents at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine. This study investigated posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms related to media reports of an attack on a Ukrainian nuclear power plant during the RUW-2022 among victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster and revealed their association with radiation risk perception (RRP) of the accident.

Methods

This cross-sectional study targeted 1193 residents of Naraha Town in Fukushima Prefecture. PTS symptoms were measured using the Japanese version of the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R). Univariate and multivariate analyses explored the association between IES-R scores and background factors, particularly RRP.

Results

Participants with higher RRP showed significantly higher IES-R scores; furthermore, the proportion of disruption because of radiation anxiety was significantly larger among higher RRP residents. Radiation anxiety mediated the association between RRP and PTS symptoms (total IES-R score and sub-item of intrusion).

Conclusions

People with higher RRP in Fukushima may continue to be at risk of persistent, unwanted PTS symptoms due to future nuclear crises. Therefore, mental health practitioners need to continue providing support in affected areas for a longer period than anticipated. Moreover, a population-based approach to cope with these stressors from media reports is essential.

Keywords

UkraineFukushima nuclear accidentpsychological traumarisk assessmentmedia exposure
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 18 , 2024 , e238
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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