We investigated the relationship between information on older people living in the community prior to the earthquake and the causes of death due to the tsunami. We also examined the medium-term risk of death after the earthquake when the living environment changes. It was inferred that people with severe depression tendencies need to be recognized as high-risk people who will delay evacuation in the event of a disaster. In addition, interaction with friends is thought to reduce the risk of death after a disaster.
Our team, in cooperation with Miyagi Prefecture, has continued to survey the health status of residents in temporary housing since the disaster as part of its support for disaster victims, and has now clarified the trends in health status.
Although the percentage of people in poor health is decreasing as a whole, many people in public disaster housing, where many elderly people live, have a poor subjective sense of health, and it is necessary to continue building communities where residents can maintain and improve their health through social participation.
Kusama T, Aida J, Sugiyama K, Matsuyama Y, Koyama S, Sato Y, Yamamoto T, Igarashi A, Tsuboya T, Osaka K.Does the Type of Temporary Housing Make a Difference in Social Participation and Health for Evacuees of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami? A Cross-Sectional Study. J Epidemiol. 2019 Oct 5;29(10):391-398. doi: 10.2188/jea.JE20180080.
Aida J, Hikichi H, Matsuyama Y, Sato Y, Tsuboya T, Tabuchi T, Koyama S, Subramanian SV, Kondo K, Osaka K, Kawachi I.Risk of mortality during and after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami among older coastal residents. Sci Rep. 2017 Nov 29;7(1):16591. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-16636-3.
Matsuyama Y, Tsuboya T, Bessho SI, Aida J, Osaka K.Copayment Exemption Policy and Healthcare Utilization after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Tohoku J Exp Med. 2018 Feb;244(2):163-173. doi: 10.1620/tjem.244.163.