Change in and Long-Term Investigation of Neuro-Otologic Disorders in Disaster-Stricken Fukushima Prefecture: Retrospective Cohort Study before and after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Abstract

On March 11, 2011, Japan’s northeast Pacific coast was hit by a gigantic earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Soma City in Fukushima Prefecture is situated approximately 44 km north of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Soma General Hospital is the only hospital in Soma City that provides full-time otolaryngological medical care. We investigated the changes in new patients from one year before to three years after the disaster. We investigated 18,167 new patients treated at our department during the four years from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2014. Of the new patients, we categorized the diagnoses into Meniere’s disease, acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss, vertigo, sudden deafness, tinnitus, and facial palsy as neuro-otologic symptoms. We also investigated the changes in the numbers of patients whom we examined at that time concerning other otolaryngological disorders, including epistaxis, infectious diseases of the laryngopharynx, and allergic rhinitis. The total number of new patients did not change remarkably on a year-to-year basis. Conversely, cases of vertigo, Meniere’s disease, and acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss increased in number immediately after the disaster, reaching a plateau in the second year and slightly decreasing in the third year. Specifically, 4.8% of patients suffering from these neuro-otologic diseases had complications from depression and other mental diseases. With regard to new patients in our department, there was no apparent increase in the number of patients suffering from diseases other than neuro-otologic diseases, including epistaxis, and allergic rhinitis. Patients suffering from vertigo and/or dizziness increased during the first few years after the disaster. These results are attributed to the continuing stress and tension of the inhabitants. This investigation of those living in the disaster area highlights the need for long-term support.

Noncommunicable Diseases After the Great East Japan Earthquake: Systematic Review, 2011–2016

“…The study revealed that 4.8% of patients with otolaryngological diseases had concomitant depression and other mental diseases. 170…”

Long-Term Public Health Responses in High-Impact Weather Events: Hurricane Maria and Puerto Rico as a Case Study

“…Beyond an increase in allergies, study participants reported suffering from an increase of vertigo and/or dizziness during the first few years after the disaster. 29 The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that there was sharp increase in mortality among elderly people who were put in temporary housing. In addition, there was an increased risk of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes 30 and mental health problems.…”

Mental Health Crisis in Northeast Fukushima after the 2011 Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Disaster

“…Previous studies have shown that disaster-related psychological stress could have induced several physical and mental disorders (Kanno et al 2013;Tsuboi et al 2014;Hasegawa et al 2015), but mental health care for all victims seems to be insufficient. In fact, it is still difficult to know the number of people in Soso who are now suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental disorders caused by the disaster, because of the scarcity of mental health specialists.…”