The Association Between Medical Treatment of Physical Diseases and Psychological Distress After the Great East Japan Earthquake: The Shichigahama Health Promotion Project.
OBJECTIVE
Physical disease patients are known to experience high levels of psychological distress. This study examined the association between the medical treatment of physical diseases and psychological distress in the coastal area affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.


METHODS
Using cross-sectional data, we studied 3032 individuals aged ≥40 years who lived in Shichigahama, Miyagi, Japan. We examined the associations between 8 medical treatments for physical diseases and psychological distress, defined as Kessler Psychological Distress scale score ≥13 of 24 points. To investigate the associations, we performed multiple logistic regression analyses.


RESULTS
There were statistically significant associations between psychological distress and medical treatments for myocardial infarction/angina pectoris (odds ratio [OR]=1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.0-3.0) and liver disease (OR=3.1, 95% CI=1.0-7.7). The other 4 medical treatments for physical diseases had ORs of 1.3 or higher and were positively associated with psychological distress: cancer, hyperlipidemia, kidney disease, and diabetes mellitus. The degree of damage to homes did not affect the association between most of the medical treatments for physical diseases and psychological distress.


CONCLUSIONS
In the disaster area, most of the medical treatments for physical diseases had positive associations with psychological distress, irrespective of the degree of damage to homes.
1Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology,Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization,Sendai,Japan.
Naoki
N
Nakaya
1Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology,Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization,Sendai,Japan.
Tomohiro
T
Nakamura
1Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology,Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization,Sendai,Japan.
Naho
N
Tsuchiya
1Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology,Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization,Sendai,Japan.
Ichiro
I
Tsuji
1Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology,Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization,Sendai,Japan.
Atsushi
A
Hozawa
1Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology,Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization,Sendai,Japan.
Hiroaki
H
Tomita
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055866:Earthquakes / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
earthquakes; mental disorders; preventive health services; psychological warfare; public health