[What is important in disaster relief missions associated with the Great East Japan Earthquake: lessons from disaster relief missions to the Japan Self-Defense Forces Sendai Hospital and Haiti peacekeeping deployments].
We assessed the core factors necessary for mental health of disaster workers according to the following experiences: 1) the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) disaster relief missions associated with the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Haiti peacekeeping deployment associated with the Great Haiti Earthquake, 2) conformations of the peacekeeping mission units of various countries deployed to Haiti, and 3) JSDF assistance activities to the Japanese earthquake victims. We learned that the basic life needs were the major premises for maintaining the mental health of the disaster workers. Food, drinking supplies, medical supplies were particularly crucial, yet overlooked in Japanese worker settings compared with forces of other countries. Conversely, the workers tend to feel guilty (moushi wake nai) for the victims when their basic life infrastructures are better than those of the victims. The Japanese workers and disaster victims both tend to find comfort in styles based on their culture, in particular, open-air baths and music performances. When planning workers' environments in disaster settings, provision of basic infrastructure should be prioritized, yet a sense of balance based on cultural background may be useful to enhance the workers' comfort and minimize their guilt.
Department of Psychiatry, Japan Self-Defense Forces Sapporo Hospital.
Masaaki
M
Tanichi
Toshitaka
T
Tatsuki
Taku
T
Saito
Tomoki
T
Wakizono
Jun
J
Shigemura
D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D006205:Haiti; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008603:Mental Health; D012066:Relief Work; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy