Table 1. Demographic characteristics, intention to return, anxiety, and desire to know about radiation.
| Variable | Reference | ≥65 years a (n = 488) |
<65 years a (n = 381) |
p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex (n = 869) | Male | 248 (50.8) | 187 (49.1) | 0.633 |
| Female | 240 (49.2) | 194 (50.9) | ||
| Family structure (n = 868) | Living alone | 115 (25.5) | 119 (18.8) | < .001* |
| 2 persons | 231 (51.2) | 119 (32.4) | ||
| ≥ 3 persons | 105 (23.3) | 179 (48.8) | ||
| Living with children/grandchildren (n = 846) | No | 431 (90.2) | 263 (71.5) | < .001* |
| Yes | 47 (9.8) | 105 (28.5) | ||
| Location during accident (n = 834) | Within Fukushima | 456 (97.0) | 340 (93.4) | 0.018* |
| Outside Fukushima | 14 (3.0) | 24 (6.6) | ||
| Employment status (n = 802) | Employed | 47 (10.4) | 212 (60.6) | < .001* |
| Unemployed | 405 (89.6) | 138 (39.4) | ||
| Financial status (n = 845) | Uncomfortable | 115 (24.6) | 103 (27.3) | 0.385 |
| Comfortable | 353 (75.4) | 274 (72.7) | ||
| Anxiety regarding consumption of food produced in Okuma (n = 864) | Yes | 252 (52.2) | 179 (47.0) | 0.132 |
| No | 231 (47.8) | 202 (53.0) | ||
| Anxiety regarding consumption of tap water from Okuma (n = 863) | Yes | 293 (60.5) | 222 (58.6) | 0.576 |
| No | 191 (39.5) | 157 (41.4) | ||
| Anxiety regarding health effects from radiation exposure in Okuma (n = 850) | Yes | 252 (53.6) | 192 (50.5) | 0.407 |
| No | 218 (46.4) | 188 (49.5) | ||
| Anxiety regarding radiation health effects on future generations in Okuma (n = 840) | Yes | 259 (55.8) | 179 (47.6) | 0.018* |
| No | 205 (44.2) | 197 (52.4) | ||
| Self-perceived knowledge level of the effect of radiation on human body (n = 862) | Yes | 266 (55.3) | 240 (63.0) | 0.026* |
| No | 215 (44.7) | 141 (37.0) | ||
| Desire to know about basics of radiation (n = 862) | Yes | 326 (68.5) | 244 (64.9) | 0.272 |
| No | 150 (31.5) | 132 (35.1) | ||
| Desire to know about treated water released from FDNPP (n = 859) | Yes | 371 (76.8) | 269 (71.5) | < .001* |
| No | 112 (23.2) | 107 (28.4) | ||
| Desire to know about life in Okuma (n = 851) | Yes | 394 (83) | 277 (73.6) | 0.003* |
| No | 81 (17.1) | 99 (26.3) | ||
| Desire to attend events in Okuma (n = 851) | Yes | 219 (46.1) | 146 (38.8) | < .001* |
| No | 256 (53.9) | 230 (61.2) | ||
| Intention to return (n = 859) | Already return or Yes | 91 (18.8) | 38 (10.1) | < .001* |
| Unsure | 117 (24.3) | 125 (33.2) | ||
| No | 274 (56.8) | 214 (56.8) | ||
| Familial disagreements regarding intention to return (n = 755) | Yes | 95 (23.2) | 95 (27.5) | 0.179 |
| No | 315 (76.8) | 250 (72.5) | ||
| Interaction with friends (n = 860) | Yes | 289 (59.8) | 188 (49.9) | 0.007* |
| Can’t say | 61 (12.6) | 61 (16.2) | ||
| No | 133 (27.5) | 128 (34.0) |
aN (%).
*p-value <0.05.