Disaster-related deaths after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident - Definition of the term and lessons learned
Introduction: There are two types of disaster deaths: direct and indirect. Direct deaths are caused by the direct physical effects of disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and radiation exposure, whereas indirect deaths are caused by secondary health effects such as emergency evacuation, relocat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Environmental Advances |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765722000837 |
| _version_ | 1818470630169772032 |
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| author | Motohiro Tsuboi Toyoaki Sawano Saori Nonaka Arinobu Hori Akihiko Ozaki Yoshitaka Nishikawa Tianchen Zhao Michio Murakami Masaharu Tsubokura |
| author_facet | Motohiro Tsuboi Toyoaki Sawano Saori Nonaka Arinobu Hori Akihiko Ozaki Yoshitaka Nishikawa Tianchen Zhao Michio Murakami Masaharu Tsubokura |
| author_sort | Motohiro Tsuboi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: There are two types of disaster deaths: direct and indirect. Direct deaths are caused by the direct physical effects of disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and radiation exposure, whereas indirect deaths are caused by secondary health effects such as emergency evacuation, relocation, evacuation environment, medical care delivery system, and psychosocial effects. In Japan, the term “disaster-related deaths” is used to refer to indirect deaths; they are defined by the Cabinet Office as follows: “Deaths because of aggravation of injuries caused by the disaster or illnesses caused by the physical burden of living in evacuation shelters, etc., which are recognized as being caused by the disaster based on the Law Concerning Provision of Disaster Condolence Grants (1973 Law No. 82) (actually, disaster condolence payments) (Including those for which no payment has been made, but excluding those whose whereabouts are unknown as a result of the relevant disaster).” This study aims to provide an account of disaster-related deaths in Fukushima Prefecture, the primary affected area of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Methods: An observational study was conducted on disaster-related deaths published by the Japanese government and local governments from March 2011 to July 2021. Result: The total number of deaths in the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) was 19,617, of which 3,691 were disaster-related deaths. Fukushima Prefecture had the largest percentage of disaster-related deaths at 59.1%. The status of certification of disaster-related death was different among municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture (range of certification rates: 40%–75.9%). Conclusion: This is the first study on disaster-related deaths in Fukushima in the 10 years after the FDNPP accident. It is possible that further analysis in the future will be useful for disaster countermeasures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:39:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2047ad438add481191b77729e81b7484 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-7657 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:39:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Advances |
| spelling | doaj.art-2047ad438add481191b77729e81b74842022-12-22T02:28:49ZengElsevierEnvironmental Advances2666-76572022-07-018100248Disaster-related deaths after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident - Definition of the term and lessons learnedMotohiro Tsuboi0Toyoaki Sawano1Saori Nonaka2Arinobu Hori3Akihiko Ozaki4Yoshitaka Nishikawa5Tianchen Zhao6Michio Murakami7Masaharu Tsubokura8Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, The University of Teikyo, 2-11- 1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173- 8605, Japan; Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Saitama Hospital, 1-5 Shintoshin, Chuoh-ku, Saitama-City 330-8553, JapanDepartment of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima City, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; Department of Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, 57 Kaminodai, Joban Kamiyunagaya-cho, Iwaki City, Fukushima 972-8322, JapanResearch Center for Community Health, Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital, 2-54-6 Takami-cho, Haramachi-ku, Minamisoma City, Fukushima 975-0033, Japan; Department of General Medicine, Taito hospital, Japan Association for Development of Community Medicine, 3-20-5 Senzoku, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0031, JapanDepartment of Psychiatry, Hori Mental Clinic, 106 Gozen-no-uchi, Kashima, Kashima-ku, Minamisoma-City, Fukushima, 979-2335, JapanDepartment of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima City, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; Department of Breast Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, 57 Kaminodai, Joban Kamiyunagaya-cho, Iwaki City, Fukushima 972-8322, JapanDepartment of Health Informatics, Kyoto University School of Public Health, Yoshida Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Department of Internal Medicine, Soma Central Hospital, 3-5-18 Okinouchi, Soma City, Fukushima 976-0016, Japan; Department of Internal Medicine, Hirata Central Hospital, 4, Shimizu-uchi, Kami-Yomogida, Hirata Village, Fukushima 963-8202, JapanDepartment of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima City, Fukushima 960-1295, JapanCenter for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, 2-8 Yamadaoka, Suita City, Osaka 565-0871, JapanDepartment of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima City, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; Corresponding author at: Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, 1-Hikariga-oka, Fukushima City, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan.Introduction: There are two types of disaster deaths: direct and indirect. Direct deaths are caused by the direct physical effects of disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and radiation exposure, whereas indirect deaths are caused by secondary health effects such as emergency evacuation, relocation, evacuation environment, medical care delivery system, and psychosocial effects. In Japan, the term “disaster-related deaths” is used to refer to indirect deaths; they are defined by the Cabinet Office as follows: “Deaths because of aggravation of injuries caused by the disaster or illnesses caused by the physical burden of living in evacuation shelters, etc., which are recognized as being caused by the disaster based on the Law Concerning Provision of Disaster Condolence Grants (1973 Law No. 82) (actually, disaster condolence payments) (Including those for which no payment has been made, but excluding those whose whereabouts are unknown as a result of the relevant disaster).” This study aims to provide an account of disaster-related deaths in Fukushima Prefecture, the primary affected area of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Methods: An observational study was conducted on disaster-related deaths published by the Japanese government and local governments from March 2011 to July 2021. Result: The total number of deaths in the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) was 19,617, of which 3,691 were disaster-related deaths. Fukushima Prefecture had the largest percentage of disaster-related deaths at 59.1%. The status of certification of disaster-related death was different among municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture (range of certification rates: 40%–75.9%). Conclusion: This is the first study on disaster-related deaths in Fukushima in the 10 years after the FDNPP accident. It is possible that further analysis in the future will be useful for disaster countermeasures.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765722000837Disaster related deathIndirect deathIndirect health effectGreat East Japan EarthquakeRadiation disasterCertification |
| spellingShingle | Motohiro Tsuboi Toyoaki Sawano Saori Nonaka Arinobu Hori Akihiko Ozaki Yoshitaka Nishikawa Tianchen Zhao Michio Murakami Masaharu Tsubokura Disaster-related deaths after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident - Definition of the term and lessons learned Environmental Advances Disaster related death Indirect death Indirect health effect Great East Japan Earthquake Radiation disaster Certification |
| title | Disaster-related deaths after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident - Definition of the term and lessons learned |
| title_full | Disaster-related deaths after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident - Definition of the term and lessons learned |
| title_fullStr | Disaster-related deaths after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident - Definition of the term and lessons learned |
| title_full_unstemmed | Disaster-related deaths after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident - Definition of the term and lessons learned |
| title_short | Disaster-related deaths after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident - Definition of the term and lessons learned |
| title_sort | disaster related deaths after the fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant accident definition of the term and lessons learned |
| topic | Disaster related death Indirect death Indirect health effect Great East Japan Earthquake Radiation disaster Certification |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765722000837 |
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