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. 2014 Feb 19;9(2):e87516.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087516. eCollection 2014.

Associations between disaster exposures, peritraumatic distress, and posttraumatic stress responses in Fukushima nuclear plant workers following the 2011 nuclear accident: the Fukushima NEWS Project study

Jun Shigemura  1 , Takeshi Tanigawa  2 , Daisuke Nishi  3 , Yutaka Matsuoka  4 , Soichiro Nomura  1 , Aihide Yoshino  1
Affiliations

Associations between disaster exposures, peritraumatic distress, and posttraumatic stress responses in Fukushima nuclear plant workers following the 2011 nuclear accident: the Fukushima NEWS Project study

Jun Shigemura et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident was the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. The nearby Daini plant also experienced substantial damage but remained intact. Workers for the both plants experienced multiple stressors as disaster victims and workers, as well as the criticism from the public due to their company's post-disaster management. Little is known about the psychological pathway mechanism from nuclear disaster exposures, distress during and immediately after the event (peritraumatic distress; PD), to posttraumatic stress responses (PTSR).

Methods: A self-report questionnaire was administered to 1,411 plant employees (Daiichi, n = 831; Daini, n = 580) 2-3 months post-disaster (total response rate: 80.2%). The socio-demographic characteristics and disaster-related experiences were assessed as independent variables. PD and PTSR were measured by the Japanese versions of Peritraumatic Distress Inventory and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, respectively. The analysis was conducted separately for the two groups. Bivariate regression analyses were performed to assess the relationships between independent variables, PD, and PTSR. Significant variables were subsequently entered in the multiple regression analyses to explore the pathway mechanism for development of PTSR.

Results: For both groups, PTSR highly associated with PD (Daiichi: adjusted β, 0.66; p<0.001; vs. Daini: adjusted β, 0.67; p<0.001). PTSR also associated with discrimination/slurs experience (Daiichi: 0.11; p<0.001; vs. Daini, 0.09; p = 0.005) and presence of preexisting illness(es) (Daiichi: 0.07; p = 0.005; vs. Daini: 0.15; p<.0001). Other disaster-related variables were likely to be associated with PD than PTSR.

Conclusion: Among the Fukushima nuclear plant workers, disaster exposures associated with PD. PTSR was highly affected by PD along with discrimination/slurs experience.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: JS, SN, and AY provided mental health assistance to TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi and Daini nuclear power plant employees according to official requests from Daini and a Japanese government cabinet order to the Ministry of Defense. TT is a Daini part-time occupational physician. DN and YM report no conflict of interest disclosures. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Path model for the posttraumatic stress responses of the Daiichi group.
All paths have significance of p<0.05. A dotted arrow shows a negative correlation. PD serves as an intermediary variable between various disaster exposures and PTSR. Discrimination/slurs experience was related to both PD and PTSR, whereas presence of preexisting illness(es) associated solely with PTSR.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Path model for the posttraumatic stress responses of the Daini group.
All paths have significance of p<0.05. A dotted arrow shows a negative correlation. PDI serves as an intermediary variable between various disaster exposures and PTSR. Discrimination/slurs experience was related to both PD and PTSR. Female gender was a risk factor for PD, whereas supervisory work status was a proactive factor. Presence of preexisting illness(es) associated with PTSR but not PD.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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