Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2019 August, 248(4)
Risk Factors for Problem Drinking among Evacuees in Fukushima following the Great East Japan Earthquake: The Fukushima Health Management Survey
YUKA UEDA,1,2 MICHIO MURAKAMI,3,4 MASAHARU MAEDA,4,5 HIROOKI YABE,1,4 YURIKO SUZUKI,6,7 MASATSUGU ORUI,7 SEIJI YASUMURA4,7 and TETSUYA OHIRA2,4; THE FUKUSHIMA HEALTH MANAGEMENT SURVEY GROUP
1Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan
2Department of Epidemiology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan
3Department of Health Risk Communication, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan
4Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan
5Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan
6Department of Mental Health Policy, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
7Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
Many studies have consistently reported the bidirectional relationship between problem drinking and psychological distress following a disaster, but the risk factors of problem drinking following a disaster remain unclear. In this study, we therefore aimed to explore the risk factors associated with the incidence of problem drinking among evacuees after the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011. We used the data for evacuees of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, obtained from the Mental Health and Lifestyle Survey. A total of 12,490 individuals from 13 municipalities, which included the evacuation order areas after the accident, completed surveys between 2012 and 2013. The CAGE (Cutting down, Annoyed by criticism, Guilty feeling, and Eye-opener) questionnaire was used to screen the participants for alcohol dependence, and a score ≥ 2 indicated problem drinking. Logistic regression models were applied to investigate the possible predictors of problem drinking. The results showed that insufficient sleep and heavy drinking (≥ 4 drinks per day) were significant risk factors for the incidence of problem drinking in both men and women. Additional risk factors included family financial issues due to the disaster and trauma symptoms among men and a diagnosed history of mental illness among women. Other remaining variables were not significantly associated with problem drinking. The present study is the first to identify the risk factors for problem drinking following a compound disaster. Our findings could be used to develop a primary intervention program to improve evacuees' health and lives following a disaster.
keywords —— cutting down, annoyed by criticism, guilty feeling, and eye-opener (CAGE); disaster; epidemiology; evacuees; problem drinking
© 2019 Tohoku University Medical Press
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2019, 248, 239-252
Correspondence: Yuka Ueda, M.A., Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University (FMU), 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan.
e-mail: yumu327@fmu.ac.jp