| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000)
Fiscal Year 1993: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000)
Fiscal Year 1992: ¥2,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,100,000)
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| Research Abstract |
In June, 1993, we conducted a third General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) among the evacuees resulting from the Unzen volcanic eruptions of Mt. Unzen (near the town of Shimabara, in the Shimabara Peninsula in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan which has been continuing since March 1991). We investigated changes in the severity of stress experienced by the evacuees who answered the first GHQ conducted in November 1991, the second GHQ in June 1992 and the third GHQ.
1) Looking at people who showed 'strong (high) stress' in the 1st GHQ, 55.5% of them recovered to 'moderate stress' or 'quite strong (high) stress' (which is intermediate between 'strong ' and 'moderate stress') in the 3rd GHQ, while 44.5% of them still had 'strong stress'.
2) Among those who showed 'strong stress' in the 2nd GHQ, 44.8% of them recovered to 'moderate stress' or 'quite strong (high) stress', in the 3rd GHQ, and 55.2% of them still had 'strong stress'.
3)In the 1st GHQ, the percentage of people who had strong stress and therefore needed to be closely watched was 19.8% and in the 2nd GHQ it was 17.0% and in the 3rd GHQ it was 17.5%.
4) The percentage of people who had quite strong stress and needed some care was 47.1%, 41.1% and 39.6% respectively in the three surveys.
5) The percentage of people who had moderate stress and needed no particular care was 33.1%, 41.9% and 42.9% respectively in the three surveys.
Looking at the distribution of severity of stress by evacuated area and area mdamaged by avalanches of earth and rocks, people with strong stress were found significantly more frequently in areas in which evacuation was canceled but which had been damaged by avalanches of earth and rocks once.
Early support systems such s health consultations, health examinations and visits of community nurses seem to be being conducted quite effectively, but as the situations continues with no end in sight, it is necessary to establish a support system for people with chronic psychiatric symptoms.
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