A questionnaire survey of storytelling experiences among people affected by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in late primary school years.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K21123
• 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: St. Luke's International University
• Principal Investigator: TANAKA Kanae 聖路加国際大学, 大学院看護学研究科, 助教 (70910123)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 阪神・淡路大震災 / 災害中長期 / 震災体験語り / 被災児童 / 災害看護 / ピア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to identify the conditions related to storytelling of earthquake experiences of child survivors. An on-line questionnaire survey was conducted with people who experienced the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in late primary school years.
The results of the study show that adults who were exposed to disasters as young people thought that it was not only useful to talk about their disaster experience with peers, but that it was beneficial to do so within the first year after the disaster. The participants favored peer-to-peer discussion rather than talking with health practitioners in their childhood and in the future. At the same time, this study showed that, having been exposed to a disaster, some children carry that experience with them.
Given that nurses are involved with the care of this age group after disasters in Japan, a nurse-led intervention that facilitates peer-to-peer discussion between children could be devised and assessed for practicality and benefit.

Free Research Field

災害看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

災害急性期の被災児童に震災体験を詳細に語らせることは、精神的健康を害するリスクがあると考えられてきた。しかし今回、同じような体験をした同世代の仲間同士であれば、良かった、意味があったと思える震災体験語りが災害直後でもできることが示された。一方、医療職や心理職との体験共有の経験やニーズは低く、成人期になっても震災体験を語りたくない人がいたことも見出された。
これらのことは、被災児童の語らない権利も守りつつ、震災直後だけでなく成人期になっても、同じような体験をした仲間同士で振り返って話せるような環境を整備するという、当該の人々の自己回復を支えていく看護師主導の支援システム構築に寄与すると考える。