The impact of risk factors on the risk of heart disease mortality after the Great East Japan Earthquake: Prospective cohort study

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K18930
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 58030:Hygiene and public health-related: excluding laboratory approach
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: SUGAWARA Yumi 東北大学, 医学系研究科, 助教 (20747456)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 東日本大震災 / 前向きコホート研究 / 心疾患死亡リスク

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status, life behaviors, and psychological factors before the earthquake on the risk of heart disease mortality after the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE). We analyzed data for 31,069 participants who were registered in the Miyagi Cohort Study.
As a result, during five years after the GEJE, crude death rates per 100,000 for heart disease were increased from 1.4-fold to 1.8-fold than before 1 year. Poor health status (past histories of diseases including hypertension or diabetes) and poor economic status (low education level or unmarried) , current smoking, and have no purpose of life (ikigai) were significantly associated with an increased risk of heart disease mortality after the GEJE.

Free Research Field

公衆衛生学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、先行研究と比較して追跡期間も長く、震災後の心疾患死亡に影響する要因として、震災前のさまざまな要因との関連に着目した学術的意義のある研究である。
本研究の結果から、震災後の心疾患死亡リスクには、震災前の健康状態、社会経済的要因、生活習慣、心理的要因が関連していることが明らかとなった。研究結果を基に、震災後に心疾患死亡リスクが高くなることが予測される対象者を同定することが可能であり、災害後の健康被害を最小限にする予防活動や支援策へ貢献することが期待できると考える。