Risk perception on the prophylactic use of stable iodine in mothers living around the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant, Kagoshima Prefecture

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K24201
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kwassui Women's College (2023); Nagasaki University (2019-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Yamada Yumiko 活水女子大学, 看護学部, 助教 (90840215)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 原子力災害 / 安定ヨウ素剤 / 原子力災害対応 / 初動対応 / 放射線リスク認知

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In a survey we conducted on the risk perception of mothers living near the Sendai Nuclear Power Station in Japan implementation of stable iodine tablets(KI), we found that approximately 90% of mothers were concerned about allowing their children to take KI; I didn't know the proper timing for administering KI to their children.
In response to these results, a survey of public health nurses in Kagoshima Prefecture revealed that they were unable to provide sufficient support for evacuation of residents and support for administering KI in the initial response to a nuclear disaster. What has become clear from these studies is that even though more than 10 years have passed since the Fukushima nuclear power Station accident, neither residents nor the public health nurses who support them have sufficient knowledge regarding nuclear disaster protection measures.

Free Research Field

放射線看護学、災害看護学、成人看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

原子力発電所周辺の住民における安定ヨウ素剤服用に関するリスク認知の調査、原発立地県の保健師における原子力災害初動対応の準備状況について調査した研究は初めてであり、福島原子力発電所事故時の原子力防護措置に関する住民の知識状況や原子力災害対応を担う保健師の災害への準備状況が本研究で明らかになったことは、今後起こりうる原子力災害時に住民の放射線被ばくによる健康影響を最小限にすることや長期避難による災害関連死の問題、メンタルヘルス等への対応に必要な一般住民への教育や保健師教育の方策を放射線看護の専門家が見出すために必要な資料となると考える。