2020 Volume 64 Issue 1 Pages 9-14
Background: Mt. Unzen-Fugendake, located in southwestern Japan, began erupting in November 1990. Forty-three people were killed in the 1991 pyroclastic flow. The eruption lasted for 6 years, and approximately 11,000 people, or about 25% of the population, were forced to live in shelters, some for up to 10 years. Aim: This study was conducted 25 years later to investigate the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms a long time after a disaster and the evacuation period. Methods: In 2015, a questionnaire survey was conducted. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form (PTGI-SF) were distributed to residents affected by the disaster and collected by mail. Results: In total, 300 responded to the survey, and 278 of whom provided complete answers and were included in the analysis. The mean evacuation period was 35.8±27.9 months. The percentage of those with a high score on the IES-R was 11.5%, which is higher than the general population, and the mean PTGI-SF score was 18.09. Injury to family members and the need to evacuate were related to PTSD and post-traumatic growth (PTG). Conclusion: PTSD symptoms were still apparent 25 years after the disaster. The length of the evacuation period at the time of the disaster was significantly related to the appearance of PTSD symptoms. PTG was similarly affected by the length of the evacuation period. These findings suggest the need to continue measures and support with a longer perspective to support residents after a disaster.
