title: Longitudinal effects of disaster-related experiences on mental health among Fukushima nuclear plant workers: The Fukushima NEWS Project Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Fukushima Nuclear Energy Workers' Support (NEWS) Project Study previously showed that experiences related to the Fukushima nuclear disaster on 11 March 2011 had a great impact on psychological states, including post-traumatic stress response (PTSR) and general psychological distress (GPD), among the Fukushima nuclear plant workers. To determine the causal relationship between disaster-related experiences and levels of psychological states, we conducted a 3-year longitudinal study from 2011 to 2014.
  
  
  METHODS
  PTSR and GPD of the nuclear plant workers were assessed by annual questionnaires conducted from 2011 to 2014. The present study included a total of 1417 workers who provided an assessment at baseline (2011). A total of 4160 observations were used in the present analysis. The relationship between disaster-related experiences and psychological states over time was analysed using mixed-effects logistic regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A declining influence of disaster-related experiences on PTSR over time was found. However, the impact on PTSR remained significantly elevated even 3 years after the disaster in several categories of exposure including the experience of life-threatening danger, experiences of discrimination, the witnessing of plant explosion, the death of a colleague and home evacuation. The associations between GPD and disaster-related experiences showed similar effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of disaster-related experiences on psychological states among the nuclear plant workers reduced over time, but remained significantly high even 3 years after the event.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health,Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health,Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanigawa
authors.affiliation: Center for Public Health Sciences, National Cancer Center,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Charvat
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health,Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,National Defense Medical College,Saitama,Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shigemura
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences,Harvard School of Public Health,Boston, MA,USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kawachi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004190:Disasters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Disaster-related experiences; longitudinal studies; mental health