Abstract
Introduction : Psychological First Aid (PFA) has been globally recommended as a program to reduce mental-health burdens associated with disasters and disaster relief work. The Japan Primary Care Association has designated PFA as a prerequisite for enlisted aid workers. This paper aims to describe general information on PFA and report implementation and evaluation of PFA training sessions held by the PCAT.
Methods : Descriptive analysis of event records and evaluations from the participants.
Results : PFA training session was held 24 times between November 2011 and June 2013. In total, 286 people with various backgrounds participated, and 60% of the paricipants. was health professionals. Majority of participants positively also evaluated such as skills and knowledge obtained can be applied to not only disaster-relief work but also daily practice or work.
Conclusion : The critical elements of PFA are well situated in disaster relief work in Japan. Further analysis is warranted to ensure the effectiveness of the program and quality assurance of trainers.
