Importance of continuing health care before emergency hospital evacuation: a fatal case of a hospitalized patient in a hospital within 5 km radius of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: a case report
Abstract Background After a disaster, it is essential to maintain the health care supply levels to minimize the health impact on vulnerable populations. During the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, hospitals within a 20 km radius were forced to make an immediate evacuation, causin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Case Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-022-03744-6 |
| _version_ | 1811165928268759040 |
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| author | Makoto Yoshida Toyoaki Sawano Yurie Kobashi Arinobu Hori Yoshitaka Nishikawa Akihiko Ozaki Saori Nonaka Motohiro Tsuboi Masaharu Tsubokura |
| author_facet | Makoto Yoshida Toyoaki Sawano Yurie Kobashi Arinobu Hori Yoshitaka Nishikawa Akihiko Ozaki Saori Nonaka Motohiro Tsuboi Masaharu Tsubokura |
| author_sort | Makoto Yoshida |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background After a disaster, it is essential to maintain the health care supply levels to minimize the health impact on vulnerable populations. During the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, hospitals within a 20 km radius were forced to make an immediate evacuation, causing a wide range of short- and long-term health problems. However, there is limited information on how the disaster disrupted the continuity of health care for hospitalized patients in the acute phase of the disaster. Case presentation An 86-year-old Japanese man who needed central venous nutrition, oxygen administration, care to prevent pressure ulcers, skin and suctioning care of the trachea, and full assistance in the basic activities of daily living had been admitted to a hospital within 5 km radius of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and experienced Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. After the accident, the hospital faced a manpower shortage associated with hospital evacuation, environmental changes caused by infrastructure and medical supply disruptions, and the difficulty of evacuating seriously ill patients. As a result, antibiotics and suction care for aspiration pneumonia could not be appropriately provided to the patient due to lack of caregivers and infrastructure shortages. The patient died before his evacuation was initiated, in the process of hospital evacuation. Conclusions This case illustrates that decline in health care supply levels to hospitalized patients before evacuation during the acute phase of a radiation-released disaster may lead to patient fatalities. It is important to maintain the health care supply level even in such situations as the radiation-released disaster; otherwise, patients may experience negative health effects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T15:44:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6827bb7aa08846aa93778317e5f6d32e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1752-1947 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T15:44:11Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Case Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-6827bb7aa08846aa93778317e5f6d32e2023-02-12T12:13:19ZengBMCJournal of Medical Case Reports1752-19472023-02-011711610.1186/s13256-022-03744-6Importance of continuing health care before emergency hospital evacuation: a fatal case of a hospitalized patient in a hospital within 5 km radius of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: a case reportMakoto Yoshida0Toyoaki Sawano1Yurie Kobashi2Arinobu Hori3Yoshitaka Nishikawa4Akihiko Ozaki5Saori Nonaka6Motohiro Tsuboi7Masaharu Tsubokura8Faculty of Medicine, Teikyo UniversityDepartment of Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa FoundationDepartment of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of MedicineDepartment of Psychiatry, Hori Mental ClinicDepartment of Internal Medicine, Serireikai Group Hirata Central HospitalDepartment of Breast Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa FoundationResearch Center for Community Health, Minamisoma Municipal General HospitalGraduate School of Public Health, Teikyo UniversityResearch Center for Community Health, Minamisoma Municipal General HospitalAbstract Background After a disaster, it is essential to maintain the health care supply levels to minimize the health impact on vulnerable populations. During the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, hospitals within a 20 km radius were forced to make an immediate evacuation, causing a wide range of short- and long-term health problems. However, there is limited information on how the disaster disrupted the continuity of health care for hospitalized patients in the acute phase of the disaster. Case presentation An 86-year-old Japanese man who needed central venous nutrition, oxygen administration, care to prevent pressure ulcers, skin and suctioning care of the trachea, and full assistance in the basic activities of daily living had been admitted to a hospital within 5 km radius of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and experienced Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. After the accident, the hospital faced a manpower shortage associated with hospital evacuation, environmental changes caused by infrastructure and medical supply disruptions, and the difficulty of evacuating seriously ill patients. As a result, antibiotics and suction care for aspiration pneumonia could not be appropriately provided to the patient due to lack of caregivers and infrastructure shortages. The patient died before his evacuation was initiated, in the process of hospital evacuation. Conclusions This case illustrates that decline in health care supply levels to hospitalized patients before evacuation during the acute phase of a radiation-released disaster may lead to patient fatalities. It is important to maintain the health care supply level even in such situations as the radiation-released disaster; otherwise, patients may experience negative health effects.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-022-03744-6Fukushima nuclear accidentDisaster medicineEmergency preparednessHospital evacuationDelivery of Health Care |
| spellingShingle | Makoto Yoshida Toyoaki Sawano Yurie Kobashi Arinobu Hori Yoshitaka Nishikawa Akihiko Ozaki Saori Nonaka Motohiro Tsuboi Masaharu Tsubokura Importance of continuing health care before emergency hospital evacuation: a fatal case of a hospitalized patient in a hospital within 5 km radius of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: a case report Journal of Medical Case Reports Fukushima nuclear accident Disaster medicine Emergency preparedness Hospital evacuation Delivery of Health Care |
| title | Importance of continuing health care before emergency hospital evacuation: a fatal case of a hospitalized patient in a hospital within 5 km radius of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: a case report |
| title_full | Importance of continuing health care before emergency hospital evacuation: a fatal case of a hospitalized patient in a hospital within 5 km radius of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: a case report |
| title_fullStr | Importance of continuing health care before emergency hospital evacuation: a fatal case of a hospitalized patient in a hospital within 5 km radius of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: a case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Importance of continuing health care before emergency hospital evacuation: a fatal case of a hospitalized patient in a hospital within 5 km radius of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: a case report |
| title_short | Importance of continuing health care before emergency hospital evacuation: a fatal case of a hospitalized patient in a hospital within 5 km radius of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: a case report |
| title_sort | importance of continuing health care before emergency hospital evacuation a fatal case of a hospitalized patient in a hospital within 5 km radius of fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant a case report |
| topic | Fukushima nuclear accident Disaster medicine Emergency preparedness Hospital evacuation Delivery of Health Care |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-022-03744-6 |
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