title: Residence-related factors and psychological distress among evacuees after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: Relocation following a disaster can impact the psychological well-being of evacuees. This study investigated the associations between residence-related factors and psychological distress among evacuees living in temporary housing after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.
  
  
  
  Data from 525 participants living in temporary housing were collected. Associations between residence-related factors (frequent relocation, dissatisfaction with the residence, and plan to move to permanent housing) and psychological distress were measured. The psychological distress of evacuees was measured using the Japanese version of the 6-item Kessler scale (K6). We used a cut-off score of five to identify cases with psychological distress, the basis of Kessler's 6 items for psychological distress.
  
  
  
  Multivariate logistic regression analysis (n = 418) showed that frequent relocation (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.14-3.66, p = 0.016) and dissatisfaction with the residence (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.60-3.83, p < 0.001) was significantly associated with psychological distress. After stratifying by gender, dissatisfaction with the residence was associated with psychological distress, and a plan to move to permanent housing was significantly associated with psychological distress in women (OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.03-3.63, p = 0.041).
  
  
  
  Frequent relocation and dissatisfaction with the residence were associated with psychological distress among evacuees following the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Evacuees should be provided with comfortable living spaces, and steps should be taken to reduce repeated relocation of evacuees. Thus, particular attention should be paid to women with a plan to move to permanent housing within this context.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima City, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan. copepe@fmu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4355-943X
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Horikoshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima City, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.|Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwasa
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan.
authors.forename: Norito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuriko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima City, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasumura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D060447:Emergency Shelter; D005260:Female; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055848:Nuclear Power Plants; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Community mental health; Disaster; Psychological distress; Relocation; Residence