[Effects of the Hansin-Awaji Earthquake on health-status of community residents].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess effects of the Hansin-Awaji Earthquake on health-status of community residents.


METHODS
This study was conducted at Itami City, Hyogo prefecture, one of the affected areas of this disaster. Methods as follows: 1) We assessed health-status of 159 adult residents (36 males and 123 females) before, just after, and 1 year after this disaster using annual health check-up data. 2) We compared health check-up data of 109 adult residents (42 males and 67 females) living in temporary-housing after this disaster with the control group matched by age and sex not living in temporary-housing 6 months after the disaster.


RESULTS
1) In the residents living in severe damaged area, triglyceride level significantly just after this disaster and tended to go down one year after. 2) Significantly more temporary-housing residents had greater prevalence of irregular dietary habits, more smoking habit, lower HDL-cholesterol level and higher triglyceride level, compared to the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
We found this disaster had many negative effects on their health-status. In addition, temporary-housing residents had poorer health-status than control group. Therefore, these results suggest that we must deal with improvements to the health-status of these residents.
Tsuzuki
C
C
Department of Community Health Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo.
Kawakubo
K
K
D000328:Adult; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides