Effect of Radiological Countermeasures on Subjective Well-Being and Radiation Anxiety after the 2011 Disaster: The Fukushima Health Management Survey
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Procedures and Participants
2.2. Questionnaire
2.2.1. Subjective Well-Being, Reduction in Radiation Anxiety, Radiation Risk Perceptions, and Radiation Risk Acceptance
2.2.2. Participation, Utilization, and Evaluation of Radiological Countermeasures
Participation
Utilization
Evaluation
2.2.3. Other Questionnaire Items
2.3. Data Procedure
2.4. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Participation in, Utilization of, and Evaluation of Radiological Countermeasures
3.2. Effect of Radiological Countermeasures on Subjective Well-Being and Radiation Anxiety
4. Discussion
4.1. Implications from Participation in, Utilization of, and Evaluation of Radiological Measures
4.2. Implications from Effects of Radiological Measures on Well-Being and Radiation Anxiety
4.3. Limitations and Future Perspectives
5. Conclusions
- Among radiological countermeasures, thyroid examination, WBC, and air dose monitoring showed higher proportions of participation, utilization, and evaluation, suggesting a high level of public attention.
- Overall, the effects were generally smaller for countermeasures than for individual variations. The basic survey was associated with an improvement of SWL and SH. Thyroid examination was associated with not only a reduction in radiation anxiety but also an increase in stress. Those who participated in food inspection showed a lower improvement in SH. Those who utilized explanatory meetings showed increases in sadness, worry, and radiation anxiety. For a further assessment of causal relationships, continuous surveys with a cohort design are necessary.
Supplementary Materials
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Men | Women | 20 s | 30 s | 40 s | 50 s | 60 s | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
This study | 48% | 52% | 13% | 25% | 28% | 20% | 13% |
General population | 52% | 48% | 14% | 18% | 21% | 21% | 26% |
N | Participated a | Participated b | Utilized | Evaluated | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WBC | 1023 | 31% | 53% | 46% | 54% |
Food inspection | 1023 | 9% | 22% | 41% | 68% |
Air dose monitoring | 1023 | 34% | 52% | 52% | 61% |
Individual dose monitoring | 1023 | 15% | 35% | 36% | 41% |
Basic survey | 1023 | 31% | 42% | 35% | 38% |
Thyroid examination | 1023 | 1% | 29% | 33% | 53% |
Thyroid examination c | 373 | 4% | 79% | 72% | 64% |
Explanatory meeting | 1023 | 7% | 12% | 15% | 39% |
Utilized (%) | Evaluated (%) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Participation a | Arithmetic Mean | SE | Arithmetic Mean | SE | |||
WBC | Did not participate | 15% | 2% | *** | 47% | 2% | *** |
Participated | 74% | 2% | 61% | 2% | |||
Food inspection | Did not participate | 26% | 2% | *** | 65% | 2% | *** |
Participated | 90% | 2% | 79% | 3% | |||
Air dose monitoring | Did not participate | 11% | 1% | *** | 49% | 2% | *** |
Participated | 88% | 1% | 72% | 2% | |||
Individual dose monitoring | Did not participate | 11% | 1% | *** | 35% | 2% | *** |
Participated | 81% | 2% | 51% | 3% | |||
Basic survey | Did not participate | 10% | 1% | *** | 34% | 2% | ** |
Participated | 71% | 2% | 44% | 2% | |||
Thyroid examination | Did not participate | 13% | 1% | *** | 48% | 2% | *** |
Participated | 84% | 2% | 65% | 3% | |||
Thyroid examination b | Did not participate | 29% | 5% | *** | 59% | 6% | ns |
Participated | 84% | 2% | 65% | 3% | |||
Explanatory meeting | Did not participate | 6% | 1% | *** | 38% | 2% | * |
Participated | 85% | 3% | 47% | 4% |
Food Inspection | Air Dose Monitoring | Individual Dose Monitoring | Basic Survey | Thyroid Examination | Explanatory Meeting | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Participated a | ||||||
WBC | 3.30 (2.38–4.57) | 4.20 (3.23–5.45) | 5.73 (4.26–7.71) | 4.40 (3.36–5.77) | 13.7 (9.16–20.4) | 4.73 (2.95–7.57) |
Food inspection | - | 10.1 (6.62–15.3) | 3.95 (2.91–5.37) | 3.33 (2.45–4.52) | 2.00 (1.47–2.72) | 3.27 (2.22–4.82) |
Air dose monitoring | - | - | 5.80 (4.32–7.79) | 5.17 (3.93–6.80) | 3.14 (2.35–4.21) | 4.92 (3.08–7.88) |
Individual dose monitoring | - | - | - | 3.40 (2.60–4.44) | 4.61 (3.46–6.15) | 4.96 (3.33–7.41) |
Basic survey | - | - | - | - | 4.81 (3.59–6.44) | 4.40 (2.92–6.65) |
Thyroid examination | - | - | - | - | - | 5.65 (3.81–8.37) |
Utilized | ||||||
WBC | 8.70 (6.53–11.6) | 6.80 (5.16–8.97) | 7.70 (5.74–10.3) | 8.15 (6.05–11.0) | 9.44 (6.91–12.9) | 9.11 (5.73–14.5) |
Food inspection | - | 18.3 (13.1–25.7) | 9.39 (6.99–12.6) | 8.24 (6.16–11.0) | 7.05 (5.27–9.43) | 9.01 (5.88–13.8) |
Air dose monitoring | - | - | 14.5 (10.3–20.6) | 10.8 (7.78–15.0) | 7.00 (5.13–9.55) | 8.99 (5.47–14.8) |
Individual dose monitoring | - | - | - | 10.5 (7.75–14.1) | 8.98 (6.67–12.1) | 8.67 (5.81–12.9) |
Basic survey | - | - | - | - | 10.5 (7.75–14.2) | 8.18 (5.51–12.1) |
Thyroid examination | - | - | - | - | - | 12.1 (7.94–18.3) |
Arithmetic Mean | SD | |
---|---|---|
SWL [0–10] | 5.90 | 2.21 |
Enjoyment [0–1] | 0.54 | 0.50 |
Happiness [0–1] | 0.56 | 0.50 |
Laughter [0–1] | 0.81 | 0.39 |
Stress [0–1] | 0.74 | 0.44 |
Sadness [0–1] | 0.30 | 0.46 |
Worry [0–1] | 0.59 | 0.49 |
SH [1–5] | 3.13 | 0.86 |
Improvement in SH [1–5] | 2.73 | 0.74 |
Radiation anxiety [1–4] | 2.45 | 0.87 |
Reduction in radiation anxiety [1–5] | 3.13 | 1.02 |
Acceptance of radiation risk [0–1] | 0.52 | 0.50 |
Countermeasures | Outcomes | Effects (Normalized by SD) |
---|---|---|
Basic survey (utilization) | SWL | 0.22 |
Basic survey (utilization) | Improvement in SH | 0.21 |
Food inspection (participation) | Improvement in SH | −0.22 |
Thyroid examination (utilization) | Stress | 0.22 |
Thyroid examination (participation) | Reduction in radiation anxiety | 0.26 |
Explanatory meeting (utilization) | Sadness | 0.29 |
Explanatory meeting (utilization) | Worry | 0.31 |
Explanatory meeting (participation) | Reduction in radiation anxiety | −0.33 |
Explanatory meeting (utilization) | Reduction in radiation anxiety | −0.32 |
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Murakami, M.; Takebayashi, Y.; Takeda, Y.; Sato, A.; Igarashi, Y.; Sano, K.; Yasutaka, T.; Naito, W.; Hirota, S.; Goto, A.; et al. Effect of Radiological Countermeasures on Subjective Well-Being and Radiation Anxiety after the 2011 Disaster: The Fukushima Health Management Survey. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 124. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15010124
Murakami M, Takebayashi Y, Takeda Y, Sato A, Igarashi Y, Sano K, Yasutaka T, Naito W, Hirota S, Goto A, et al. Effect of Radiological Countermeasures on Subjective Well-Being and Radiation Anxiety after the 2011 Disaster: The Fukushima Health Management Survey. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2018; 15(1):124. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15010124
Chicago/Turabian StyleMurakami, Michio, Yoshitake Takebayashi, Yoshihito Takeda, Akiko Sato, Yasumasa Igarashi, Kazumi Sano, Tetsuo Yasutaka, Wataru Naito, Sumire Hirota, Aya Goto, and et al. 2018. "Effect of Radiological Countermeasures on Subjective Well-Being and Radiation Anxiety after the 2011 Disaster: The Fukushima Health Management Survey" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 1: 124. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15010124
APA StyleMurakami, M., Takebayashi, Y., Takeda, Y., Sato, A., Igarashi, Y., Sano, K., Yasutaka, T., Naito, W., Hirota, S., Goto, A., Ohira, T., Yasumura, S., & Tanigawa, K. (2018). Effect of Radiological Countermeasures on Subjective Well-Being and Radiation Anxiety after the 2011 Disaster: The Fukushima Health Management Survey. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(1), 124. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15010124