Psychological care for survivors and responders of major disasters

Lessons from the Great East Japan Earthquake

Abstract

In providing healthcare after a major disaster, the principle is to save the lives of as many patients as possible, using limited resources. Patients who receive chronic hemodialysis treatment are particularly vulnerable during disasters, as this treatment requires extensive medical resources, water, and electricity. The Great East Japan Earthquake caused mass devastation, resulting in some patients having their treatment interrupted until the crisis was averted. Others were moved to safer areas for their dialysis treatment. Although it was difficult to explain to all the patients and their families that we could not provide the usual medical care, we believe that we were able to impart a significant degree of awareness of the crisis based on the normal relationship between dialysis patients and medical personnel. There were insufficient resources to elucidate the psychological symptoms and to provide psychological care to the medical personnel who needed to deliver regular medical care, and to the patients who had to continue dialysis treatment, despite the disaster. It is important to be prepared for emergencies and future disasters by having knowledge and measures in place for the disruption of dialysis treatment and psychological care.