title: Relationship between the degree of property damage and changes in red blood cells, hematocrit, and hemoglobin among victims of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake on various hematologic parameters. We studied the relationships between the degree of property damage and changes in red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), and hematocrit (Ht) among residents before and after the March 2007 Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 5,563 residents of Wajima City who were not receiving oral treatment for anemia and who had received basic health screenings for fiscal years (FYs) 2006 and 2007, before and after the earthquake. We analyzed changes in their RBCs, Hb, and Ht levels by gender, age, body mass index (BMI), level of property damage, and evaluation standards.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RBCs, Hb, and Ht for FY2007 showed a trend of decreasing values compared to FY2006 in both male and female subjects. RBCs and Hb significantly decreased in females aged between 65 and 74 years who experienced total property damage, and Ht significantly increased for those younger than 65 years who experienced the same level of damage. In addition, significant differences by degree of property damage and FY2007/FY2006 ratio were seen only among subjects with a BMI ratio <1. Furthermore, we found a significant relationship between reduction of RBCs or Hb and increasing age in females; however, no significant relationship to property damage was found. No significant relationships were found for males.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant association between property damage and changes in RBCs, Hb, and Ht was not found in this population of residents who experienced the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, 5-11-80 Kodatsuno, Kanazawa 920-0942, Japan. omotes@mhs.mp.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shizuko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Omote
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Teruhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kido
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Akie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ichimori
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sakakibara
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsukasaki
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006452:Hemoglobinometry; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins