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Influence of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident on the use of computed tomography in children with mild head injuries.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Computed tomography (CT) was commonly used in children with mild head injuries. People in Japan are concerned about radiation exposure and radiation-induced cancer because of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident on March 11, 2011. This study investigated whether the accident influenced the use of CT in children with mild head injuries. METHODS:Using the Japan Medical Data Center database, we identified patients aged ? 15 years visiting hospitals because of mild head injuries from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2013. We excluded patients who were admitted to the hospital or received other medical examinations. Regression discontinuity analysis was used to compare proportions of patients undergoing head CT and having clinically important traumatic brain injury (ciTBI) overlooked before vs. after the accident, adjusting for patient characteristics, secular trends, and hospital effect. RESULTS:Eligible patients (n = 40,440) were classified as visiting the hospital before (n = 11,659) or after (n = 28,781) the accident. The regression discontinuity analysis showed that the accident was associated with a reduction in the proportion of patients undergoing head CT (odds ratio [OR]: 0·73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0·63-0·86), whereas the accident was not associated with an increase in cases where ciTBI was overlooked (OR: 0·72; 95% CI: 0·13-4·00). CONCLUSIONS:The use of CT in children with mild head injuries declined after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Improving awareness of radiation exposure risks among patients and physicians could reduce unnecessary CT.

SUBMITTER: Aso S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7661337 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Influence of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident on the Use of Computed Tomography in Children With Mild Head Injuries.

Aso Shotaro S Matsui Hiroki H Yasunaga Hideo H

Journal of epidemiology 20191207 12

<h4>Background</h4>Computed tomography (CT) is commonly used in children with mild head injuries. People in Japan are concerned about radiation exposure and radiation-induced cancer because of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident on March 11, 2011. This study investigated whether the accident influenced the use of CT in children with mild head injuries.<h4>Methods</h4>Using the Japan Medical Data Center database, we identified patients aged ≤15 years visiting hospitals because of m ...[more]

PMID: 31813894

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Project description:BackgroundTo shed light on the mental health of evacuees after the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), we evaluate the results of the Fukushima Health Management Survey (FHMS) of the residents at Kawauchi village in Fukushima, which is located less than 30 km from the FDNPS.MethodsWe conducted the cross-sectional study within the framework of the FHMS. Exposure values were "anorexia," "subjective feelings about health," "feelings about sleep satisfaction," and "bereavement caused by the disaster," confounding variables were "age" and "sex," and outcome variables were "K6 points." We collected data from the FHMS, and employed the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) and the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Checklist Stressor-Specific Version (PCL-S) to carry out the research. A total of 13 or greater was the cut-off for identifying serious mental illness using the K6 scale. The study subjects included residents (n = 542) of over 30 years of age from Kawauchi village, and data were used from the period of January 1, 2012 to October 31, 2012.ResultsA total of 474 residents (87.5%) scored less than 13 points in the K6 and 68 (12.6%) scored 13 points or more. The proportion of elderly residents (over 65 years old) among people with K6 score above the cut-off was higher than that among people with K6 score below the cut-off (44.1 vs 31.0%, p < 0.05). In addition, the proportion of residents with anorexia and mental illness among people with K6 score above the cut-off was higher than among people with K6 score below the cut-off (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). The amount of residents who scored 44 points or more in the PCL-S among people with K6 score above the cut-off was also considerably higher than among people with K6 score below the cut-off (79.4 vs 12.9%, p < 0.001). Interestingly, the proportion of residents who scored more than among people with K6 score above the cut-off and the among people with PCL-S score above the cut-off in Kawauchi was higher than in previous studies in other locations.ConclusionsThese results suggest that there are severe mental health problems, such as depression and PTSD, among adults as a consequence of the accident at the FDNPS. Our study showed that residents who lived in the evacuation zone before the disaster are at high risk psychological distress. To facilitate local residents' recovery from Fukushima, there is a need to continue providing them with physical and mental support, as well as communication regarding the health risks of radiation.

Project description:BackgroundFollowing the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant has continued to affect the mental health status of residents in the evacuation zone. To examine the mental health status of evacuee after the nuclear accident, we conducted the Mental Health and Lifestyle Survey as part of the ongoing Fukushima Health Management Survey.MethodsWe measured mental health status using the Kessler 6-item psychological distress scale (K6) in a total of 73,569 (response rate: 40.7%) evacuees aged 15 and over who lived in the evacuation zone in Fukushima Prefecture. We then dichotomized responders using a 12/13 cutoff on the K6, and compared the proportion of K6 scores ≥13 and ≤12 in each risk factor including demographic information, socioeconomic variables, and disaster-related variables. We also performed bivariate analyses between mental health status and possible risk factors using the chi-square test. Furthermore, we performed multivariate regression analysis using modified Poisson regression models.ResultsThe median K6 score was 5 (interquartile range: 1-10). The number of psychological distress was 8,717 (14.6%). We found that significant differences in the prevalence of psychological distress by almost all survey items, including disaster-related risk factors, most of which were also associated with increased Prevalence ratios (PRs). Additionally, we found that psychological distress in each evacuation zone was significantly positively associated with the radiation levels in their environment (r = 0.768, p = 0.002).ConclusionThe earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear accident likely caused severe psychological distress among residents in the evacuation zone in Fukushima Prefecture. The close association between psychological distress and the radiation levels shows that the nuclear accident seriously influenced the mental health of the residents, which might be exacerbated by increased risk perception. To provide prompt and appropriate support, continued psychosocial intervention for evacuees is strongly recommended.

Dataset Information

Influence of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident on the use of computed tomography in children with mild head injuries.

Publications

Influence of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident on the Use of Computed Tomography in Children With Mild Head Injuries.

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