Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1997 Nov;154(11):1605-7.
doi: 10.1176/ajp.154.11.1605.

Long-term mental health effects of the Chernobyl disaster: an epidemiologic survey in two former Soviet regions

J M Havenaar  1 , G M Rumyantzeva, W van den Brink, N W Poelijoe, J van den Bout, H van Engeland, M W Koeter
Affiliations

Long-term mental health effects of the Chernobyl disaster: an epidemiologic survey in two former Soviet regions

J M Havenaar et al. Am J Psychiatry. 1997 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: This study assessed the long-term mental health effects of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl.

Method: Two population samples (N = 3,044), one from the Gomel region, close to the accident site, and one from Tver, 500 miles away, were studied 6 1/2 years after the event with the use of a variety of self-report questionnaires and a standardized psychiatric interview.

Results: The prevalence of psychological distress and DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders was exceptionally high in both regions. Scores on the self-report scales were consistently higher in the exposed region; however, a higher risk of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders could be demonstrated only among women with children under 18 years of age in the exposed region.

Conclusions: A substantial long-term mental health effect of the Chernobyl incident was demonstrated, mainly at a subclinical level.

PubMed Disclaimer

LinkOut - more resources