Table 2.
Regional variation in frequency of mothers screened positive for depressive symptoms
| Residential region | N (%) | Univariate d | Multivariate d | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Distance from the nuclear power plant a (km) | Average hourly radiation level in August 2011 b (μSv/hr) | Total c | Depressive symptoms | OR (95% CI) | P value | aOR (95% CI) | P value | |
| Positive | Negative | ||||||||
| Kenchu (Middle region) | 58 | 0.97 | 2503 (30.5) | 682 (27.3) | 1821 (72.8) | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Kenpoku (North region) | 63 | 1.12 | 2056 (25.1) | 618 (30.1) | 1438 (69.9) | 1.14 (1.01–1.31) | 0.04 | 1.13 (0.99–1.29) | 0.07 |
| Kennan (South region) | 81 | 0.45 | 548 (6.7) | 150 (27.4) | 398 (72.6) | 1.00 (0.82–1.24) | 0.95 | 0.98 (0.79–1.21) | 0.83 |
| Soso (Coastal region) | 24 | 0.44 | 851 (10.4) | 292 (34.3) | 559 (65.7) | 1.39 (1.18–1.65) | <0.01 | 1.36 (1.15–1.62) | <0.01 |
| Iwaki (Coastal region) | 43 | 0.18 | 1316 (16.1) | 319 (24.2) | 997 (75.8) | 0.85 (0.73–1.00) | 0.05 | 0.84 (0.71–0.98) | 0.03 |
| Aizu, Minamiaizu (Mountainous region) | 98, 115 | 0.14, 0.07 | 922 (11.3) | 201 (21.8) | 721 (78.2) | 0.74 (0.62–0.89) | <0.01 | 0.72 (0.60–0.87) | <0.01 |
aDistance between Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and prefectural office branch in each region.
bAverage of hourly monitoring for 31 days in August 2011, reported by the prefectural government.
cColumn proportions are shown for the total distribution.
dLogistic regression analysis was used. Multivariate analysis controlled for maternal age (yr; aOR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.97–0.99) and birth history (ref = 1 or more; aOR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.03–1.28).