title: Psychological well-being and risk perceptions of mothers in Kyiv, Ukraine, 19 years after the Chornobyl disaster.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Chornobyl nuclear power plant explosion in April 1986 was one of the worst ecological disasters of the 20th century. As with most disasters, its long-term mental health consequences have not been examined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study describes the psychological well-being and risk perceptions of exposed women 19-20 years later and the risk factors associated with mental health.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed Chornobyl-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive episode (MDE) and overall distress among three groups of women in Kyiv, Ukraine (N = 797): mothers of small children evacuated to Kyiv in 1986 from the contaminated area near the plant (evacuees); mothers of their children's classmates (neighbourhood controls); and population-based controls from Kyiv. Risk perceptions and epidemiologic correlates were also obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Evacuees reported poorer well-being and more negative risk perceptions than controls. Group differences in psychological well-being remained after adjustment for epidemiologic risk factors but became non-significant when Chornobyl risk perceptions were added to the models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relatively poorer psychological well-being among evacuees is largely explained by their continued concerns about the physical health risks stemming from the accident. We suggest that this is due to the long-term, non-resolvable nature of health fears associated with exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, USA. radams12@kent.edu
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Lin T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Guey
authors.forename: Semyon F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Gluzman
authors.forename: Evelyn J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Bromet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D047852:Chernobyl Nuclear Accident; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology; D014455:Ukraine / Q000453:epidemiology