title: Hospital Staff Shortage after the 2011 Triple Disaster in Fukushima, Japan-An Earthquake, Tsunamis, and Nuclear Power Plant Accident: A Case of the Soso District.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2011, Fukushima was struck by a triple disaster: an earthquake, tsunamis, and a nuclear accident. In the aftermath, there was much fear among hospital staff members about radiation exposure and many staff members failed to report to work.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  One objective is to measure this shortage in hospital staff and another is to compare the difference in recovery by hospital types and by categories of hospital staff.
  
  
  METHODS
  The monthly records of the number of staff members from May 2011 to September 2012 were extracted anonymously from the records of 7 local hospitals in the Soso district in Fukushima. Change in the number of staff was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Staff shortages at hospitals reached a maximum within one month after the disaster (47% reported to work). The shortage of clerks was the most severe (38% reported to work), followed by nurses (48% reported to work). The shortages remained even 18 months after the disaster.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After a disaster in which the damage to hospital functions surpasses the structural damage, massive support of human resources in the acute phase and a smaller volume of support in the mid-term phase appear to be required, particularly for non-medical staff.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Soma Central Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Sae
authors: S
authors: Ochi
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Soma Central Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Masaharu
authors: M
authors: Tsubokura
authors: Department of Radiation Protection, Soma Central Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Shigeaki
authors: S
authors: Kato
authors: Department of General Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors: Shuichi
authors: S
authors: Iwamoto
authors: Soso Public Health Institute, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Shinichi
authors: S
authors: Ogata
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Soma Central Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Tomohiro
authors: T
authors: Morita
authors: Department of Psychology, Hibarigaoka Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Arinobu
authors: A
authors: Hori
authors: Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Tomoyoshi
authors: T
authors: Oikawa
authors: Onoda Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Antoku
authors: A
authors: Kikuchi
authors: Kashima Kosei Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Zenjiro
authors: Z
authors: Watanabe
authors: Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Yukio
authors: Y
authors: Kanazawa
authors: Public Soma General Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Hiromi
authors: H
authors: Kumakawa
authors: Department of Urology, Public Soma General Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Yoshinobu
authors: Y
authors: Kuma
authors: Department of Psychology, Hibarigaoka Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Tetsuo
authors: T
authors: Kumakura
authors: Ohmachi Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Yoshimitsu
authors: Y
authors: Inomata
authors: Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Kami
authors: Soma Central Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Ryuzaburo
authors: R
authors: Shineha
authors: Hirata Central Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.
authors: Yasutoshi
authors: Y
authors: Saito
mesh_terms: D004190:Disasters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055866:Earthquakes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D013997:Time Factors; D057192:Tsunamis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data