Table 2. Individual characteristics, disaster-related stressors, perception of radiation risks and psychological distress in Fukushima evacuees, Japan, 2012 (n = 56 556).
| Variable | Evacuees with physiological distress,a OR (99.9% CI) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Model 1b | Model 2c | |
| Perception of radiation risk | ||
| Immediate effects (reference: less than very likely (1–3)) | ||
| Very likely (4) | 1.64 (1.42–1.89) | 1.64 (1.42–1.89) |
| Delayed effects (reference: less than very likely (1–3)) | ||
| Very likely (4) | 1.48 (1.32–1.67) | 1.48 (1.32–1.66) |
| Genetic effects (reference: less than very likely (1–3)) | ||
| Very likely (4) | 2.17 (1.94–2.42) | 2.19 (1.96–)2.44 |
| Individual characteristics | ||
| Sex (reference: males) | ||
| Females | 1.37 (1.25–1.50) | 1.35 (1.23–1.47) |
| Age group (reference: 15–49 years) | ||
| 50–64 years | 1.07 (0.97–1.19) | 1.08 (0.97–1.19) |
| ≥ 65 years | 1.08 (0.96–1.21) | 1.05 (0.94–1.17) |
| Educational attainment (reference: elementary, junior high or high school) | ||
| Vocational college, junior college, or more | 0.90 (0.81–0.99) | 0.90 (0.81–0.99) |
| History of mental illness (reference: no) | ||
| Yes | 5.00 (4.33–5.77) | 4.97 (4.30–5.74) |
| Disaster-related stressors | ||
| House damage (reference: less than partial collapse) | ||
| Partial collapse and worse | 1.20 (1.08–1.34) | – |
| Bereavement (reference: no) | ||
| Yes | 1.50 (1.36–1.65) | – |
| Living place (reference: in Fukushima prefecture) | ||
| Out of Fukushima prefecture | 1.05 (0.95–1.17) | – |
| Living arrangement at time of survey (reference: own house) | ||
| Other than own house | 1.55 (1.39–1.73) | – |
| Type of work (reference: full-time) | ||
| Other than full-time | 1.17 (1.04–1.31) | – |
| Became unemployed (reference: no) | ||
| Yes | 1.29 (1.16–1.42) | – |
| Income has decreased (reference: no) | ||
| Yes | 1.21 (1.10–1.35) | – |
| Number of stressors (reference: 0–1) | ||
| 2 | – | 1.67 (1.47–1.89) |
| 3 | – | 2.05 (1.81–2.33) |
| 4–7 | – | 2.66 (2.34–3.01) |
CI: confidence interval; OR: odds ratio.
a Psychological distress was measured using K6 scale.13 A score ≥ 13 was defined as psychological distress.
b Included disaster-related stressors as separate variables.
c Used our derived variable indicating the number of stressors.
Notes: Questionnaires with full response were included in the analysis, n = 56 556.