Publications by authors named "Masafumi Abe"
Article Synopsis
- - The study explored how experiencing the Great East Japan Earthquake and related trauma, along with sleep issues, impacted non-drinkers' alcohol consumption, using data from a 2012 survey involving 21,454 evacuees.
- - Findings revealed that demographic factors (like being male, younger, and having lower education), as well as social changes (such as smoking and employment status), were linked to non-drinkers transitioning to drinkers, with significant relationships observed with sleep disturbances and trauma severity.
- - Ultimately, the research concluded that sleep problems and severe traumatic symptoms are important factors predicting non-drinkers' shift towards alcohol consumption after the disaster.
This study aimed to assess the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake on hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (HDP) in the Fukushima Prefecture. We used the results of the Fukushima Health Management Survey which targeted women who gave birth from 2011-2012. Pregnant women were divided into three groups according to their residential area during the disaster (affected, middle, and less-affected area), and four groups according to pregnancy trimester during the disaster (first, second, third trimester, or conception after the disaster).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors increased in victims. We examined the trends in the prevalence, treatment, and control of hypertension before and after the disaster, as well as the impact of evacuation.
Methods: Study participants were approximately 10 000 men and 12 000 women aged 40-74 years in each year from 2008 to 2014.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the frequency of laughter among residents in evacuation zones after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, focusing on the positive psychological aspects post-disaster.
- It analyzed data from over 52,000 participants and found that about 27.1% laughed almost daily, with factors like family size and stability in living situations linked to higher laughter frequency.
- The results suggest that lifestyle changes after the disaster correlate with laughter, highlighting the need for further research on improving laughter frequency in similar contexts.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how perceived radiation risk influences mental health outcomes after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
- A survey conducted over two years categorized participants' mental health status, revealing that 80.3% were resilient, while women with a heightened perception of radiation risk showed poorer mid-term mental health.
- The findings highlight that individuals with PTSD or a history of mental illness were more likely to experience chronic or worsening mental health issues, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions based on risk perception.
Background: Thyroid hemiagenesis is a rare congenital variant characterized by the lack of development of one thyroid lobe with no clinical manifestations.
Methods: This study was performed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of thyroid hemiagenesis in a normal Japanese population. This cross-sectional study was performed from October 9, 2011, to April 30, 2015.
Objective: To investigate the association between socioeconomic factors and the exacerbation of cardiovascular symptoms among evacuees after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Methods: A sample of 73 433 individuals was included in the Fukushima Health Management Survey. Self-report questionnaires were used to determine the influence of socioeconomic factors including living arrangements, loss of employment and decreased income on the exacerbation of headache, dizziness, palpitations and shortness of breath.
After the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, the Fukushima Health Management Survey (FHMS) was launched. The Basic Survey, a component of FHMS, is a questionnaire used to survey residents across the Fukushima Prefecture about their behaviour in the first 4 months after the accident. The questionnaire findings are used to determine individual external doses by linking behaviour data to a computer programme with daily gamma ray dose rate maps, drawn after the accident.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Socioeconomic status (SES) and lifestyle-related factors are determinants of subjective health. However, changes in SES are inevitable in times of natural disaster, while lifestyle-related factors remain modifiable. The aim of this study was to use a cross-sectional approach to examine lifestyle-related factors that may attenuate the negative impact of disaster-induced changes in SES on poor subjective health.
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- The study aimed to assess longer-term trends in hepatobiliary enzyme abnormalities among residents near Fukushima after the 2011 disaster and to identify lifestyle factors that might influence these changes.
- A longitudinal survey with 20,395 adults showed a decrease in hepatobiliary enzyme abnormalities from 29.9% to 27.1% over the study period, indicating overall improvement.
- Significant lifestyle factors associated with this improvement included increased daily physical activity and higher frequency of breakfast consumption, suggesting these habits may help reduce enzyme abnormalities.
After the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident occurred. The Fukushima prefectural government decided to launch the Fukushima Health Management Survey; Fukushima Medical University was entrusted to design and implement the survey. The survey process and development is described from the standpoint of its background and aim.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe longitudinal posttraumatic stress responses and resilient factors after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant are yet unknown. Here we attempted to quantify the patterns of the course of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and we explored the factors associated with psychological recovery. The subjects were 12 371 residents in the municipalities categorized as the forced evacuated area.
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- The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster in 2011 may have negatively impacted the mental health of children in the affected regions.
- A study involving 15,274 children showed that 25% of 4-6 year-olds, 22% of 7-12 year-olds, and 16.3% of 13-15 year-olds scored above the clinical cutoff on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which is much higher than the typical rate of 9.5%.
- The research also looked for a relationship between higher SDQ scores and environmental radiation levels in Fukushima, but found no significant correlation.
Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted to investigate the effects of stress from evacuation due to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster on chronic kidney disease (CKD) among people aged 40-74.
- Researchers compared CKD incidence in 4,712 evacuees to 9,780 non-evacuees over a follow-up period from 2012 to 2014.
- Results showed that evacuees had a significantly higher rate of CKD, indicating that evacuation due to disaster stress is a risk factor for the disease.
Article Synopsis
- The Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident forced residents into evacuation, prompting a study on its impact on liver function.
- A longitudinal survey of 26,006 residents showed that liver dysfunction prevalence rose from 16.4% to 19.2% after the disaster, with evacuees experiencing significantly worse liver health.
- This study highlights a clear link between evacuation and increased liver dysfunction, marking the first evidence of this effect following the Fukushima disaster.
Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted to explore the link between living arrangements and dietary intake among evacuees from the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, using data from a large-scale health survey involving over 73,000 residents in evacuation zones.
- The analysis included 52,314 individuals and categorized their living situations into three groups: evacuation shelters or temporary housing, rental homes, or living with relatives/own home, assessing their consumption of various food groups.
- Findings indicated that evacuees living in rental apartments or temporary shelters had significantly lower consumption rates for fruits, vegetables, meat, soybean products, and dairy compared to those living with relatives or in their own homes.
Article Synopsis
- * It compared health data from evacuees and non-evacuees, noting that evacuees exhibited higher levels of red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, even years after the evacuation.
- * The findings suggest that evacuation has long-lasting health effects, highlighting the need for ongoing health management for evacuees to address these issues.
Objectives: The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, which occurred after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in March 2011, may have a considerable long-term impact on the lives of area residents. The aims of this study were to determine the trajectories of psychological distress using 3-year consecutive data, and to find predictive factors of severe distress that may also prove useful for public health intervention.
Methods: Data were obtained on 12 371 residents who were registered in the municipalities categorised as complete evacuation areas for 3 years after the disaster and who completed an assessment in each of the 3 years.
Objective: The Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster occurred on 11 March 2011. We investigated the incidence of SGA (small for gestational age) in the Fukushima Prefecture in newborns delivered by women who were pregnant at the time of the disasters and identified any risk factors for SGA.
Methods: Subjects were women who were pregnant at the time of the disasters.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its complications among evacuees and non-evacuees after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima disaster.
- Out of over 27,000 participants aged 40 and older, the prevalence of CKD with low eGFR was 21.59%, with notable complications like diabetes and hypertension being more common in higher-risk groups.
- While the study found higher instances of certain health issues among evacuees, it concluded that evacuation did not significantly increase the risk of low eGFR or proteinuria, suggesting future monitoring and lifestyle changes may be beneficial for evacuees.
Aim: After the Great East Japan Earthquake, over 160,000 residents near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant were forced to evacuate due to a nuclear accident. Health problems in these evacuees have since become major issues. We examined the association between evacuation and incidence of metabolic syndrome (METS) among residents in Fukushima.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake led to a subsequent nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. In its wake, we sought to examine the association between external radiation dose and thyroid cancer in Fukushima Prefecture. We applied a cross-sectional study design with 300,476 participants aged 18 years and younger who underwent thyroid examinations between October 2011 and June 2015.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOn March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred in Japan, with a nuclear accident subsequently occurring at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The disaster forced many evacuees to change particular aspects of their lifestyles. This study assessed the hypothesis that evacuation may have increased the risk of hypertension among residents in Fukushima.
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- The study investigates the health impacts of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima disaster on local residents, particularly focusing on changes in lipid metabolism and lifestyle-related diseases among evacuees.
- A total of 27,486 participants were analyzed, revealing a significant increase in hypo-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterolemia and adverse health effects such as increased BMI and blood pressure, especially in men following the disaster.
- The findings suggest that evacuation significantly correlates with higher incidence rates of hypo-HDL cholesterolemia and may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, highlighting the need for tailored lifestyle recommendations for evacuees.