The Mental Health of Long-Term Evacuees outside Fukushima Prefecture after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Ten years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, thousands of residents of Fukushima Prefecture were still living as evacuees. Among them, unignorable numbers of people were living outside of the prefecture. A survey was conducted with evacuees to Ibaraki, the neighboring prefecture of Fukushima, to investigate their medium- to long-term mental care needs. A questionnaire was sent to 1,470 households that had been living in Fukushima on March 11, 2011, and who were evacuated to Ibaraki by October 2016. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal ideation. Of the participants, 16.5% had a high risk for major depressive disorder, 39.0% exhibited a high risk for PTSD, and 19.7% indicated suicidal ideation. Own injuries and illnesses and Worries about the hometown were risk factors for major depressive disorder, PTSD, and suicidal ideation. Not receiving compensation for damages was a risk factor common to major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation. There is a high possibility that many people who have evacuated to other prefectures might still be suffering from psychological symptoms after the disaster. Worries about their hometowns were highly related to their mental disorders.

Automated summary

Ten years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, many residents of Fukushima Prefecture are still living as evacuees, with a significant number of them moving to neighboring prefectures like Ibaraki. A survey conducted on these evacuees revealed that they continue to face high mental health needs, including risks of major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal ideation. Worries about their hometowns were found to be a major risk factor for their mental disorders.