Understanding the experience of Great East Earthquake among Brazilian living in Japan for building a resilient community

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24593473
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Community health/Gerontological nurisng
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: NOSAKI Akiko 千葉大学, 看護学研究科, 講師 (90361419)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OTSUKA Koichiro 自治医科大学, 看護学部, 教授 (00291625)
• Research Collaborator: ISHIKAWA Anna 宇都宮市国際交流協会 ; HONDA Tatsuko Elisa 栃木県国際交流協会
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 地域精神保健 / 外国人のメンタルヘルス / 災害 / レジリエント / コミュニティ / PTSD / 多文化共生

Outline of Final Research Achievements

More than 200,000 Brazilian people lived in Japan in 2010. Living in Japan is not easy for them due to differences of language and cultural background. Aim of this study is to clarify their experience, health condition and emergency preparedness following the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent nuclear power plant accident on March 11, 2011 to discuss an intervention program to build a resilient community considering diversity.
Subjects were adult Brazilian people living in Kanto and inland area in Japan and experienced Great East Japan Earthquake. Most of them stayed in their own car with their Brazilian relatives or friends after the earthquake. Many of them experienced electricity outage and feared radioactive contamination. Even three years has elapsed from the earthquake, they had symptoms of PTSD. It is suggested that the intervention program should include existing Brazilian personal network and utilize it integrating Japanese citizens and social resources.

Free Research Field

精神看護学