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Long-term Follow-up of Affected Residents After Lifting Evacuation Orders in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan: Findings from an Interview-Based Psychological Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 August 2021

Yujiro Kuroda Open the ORCID record for Yujiro Kuroda [Opens in a new window]  and
Yohei Koyama
Yujiro Kuroda*
Affiliation:
Research Department, Fukushima Prefectural Centre for Environmental Creation, Fukushima, Japan Center for Integrated Science and Humanities, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
Yohei Koyama
Affiliation:
Center for Integrated Science and Humanities, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
*
Corresponding author: Yujiro Kuroda, Email: kurodasan@me.com.
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Abstract

We examined the relationship between social support and psychological variables, and investigated the status of social support among villagers whose evacuation order had been lifted. The survey used for the analysis is the data of FY 2018 and 2019. In fiscal year 2018, a written questionnaire was posted to 4828 registered residents of Iitate Village and 1405 valid responses were received. The main finding (in joint assessment by local and external experts) was the ‘need for professional support’ (191 respondents, 13.6%). Multivariate analysis found that among those living in permanent housing outside the village, the need for support was significantly more likely for those without emotional support, or instrumental support, and those not providing support. The 2019 follow-up showed a slight improvement in perceived social support (PSS). The associations between perceived social support and living environment suggest the need to strengthen social support measures in areas where evacuation orders are yet to be lifted, which will provide useful information with which to examine the effects of future support efforts.

Keywords

social supportpsychological/behavioural medicineprofessional supportdisaster public healthsocial determinants of health
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 16 , Issue 4 , August 2022 , pp. 1545 - 1551
Copyright
© Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2021

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