title: Psychological effects of disaster relief activities on Japan ground self-defense force personnel following the 2011 great east Japan earthquake.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Disaster relief workers are potentially exposed to severe stressors on the job, resulting in a variety of psychological responses. This study aims to clarify the psychological effects of disaster relief activities on Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) personnel following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-report questionnaire was administered to 606 JGSDF personnel one month after completing the disaster relief mission. Posttraumatic stress responses and general psychological distress were assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the K10 scales. Associations between outcome variables and independent variables (age, gender, military rank, length of deployment, and exposure to dead bodies) were measured with univariate analyses and subsequent multiple logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (± SD) IES-R score was 6.2 (± 8.1), and the mean K10 score was 12.8 (± 4.4). In the univariate analyses, exposure to dead bodies and age were identified as significant factors for IES-R and K10 scores, (p < 0.01). However, the multiple logistic regression analyses did not reveal any significant factors although body handlers' exposure approached significance for IES-R.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The subjects reported very low psychological responses despite the severe nature of their disaster relief activities. Several factors may account for the low levels of psychological distress and posttraumatic symptoms observed in this study.
authors.forename: Kosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dobashi
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagamine
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shigemura
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsunoda
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Aihide
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Soichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nomura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D012066:Relief Work; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult