Natural disasters and alcohol consumption in a cultural context: the Great Hanshin Earthquake in Japan

Shimizu, Shinji; Aso, Katsuro; Noda, Tetsuro; Ryukei, So; Kochi, Yoshiro; Yamamoto, Noriya

doi:10.1046/j.1360-0443.2000.9545295.x

Cited by 40 publications

(25 citation statements)

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“…Other sources, however, have noted decreased alcohol consumption after disasters. Alcohol consumption reportedly decreased after the Great Hanshin Earthquake in Japan (Shimizu et al, 2000), and sales of alcohol in the United States fell significantly after the September 11 attacks (US Census Bureau Service Sector Statistics Division, 2001;Whitaker, 2001aWhitaker, , 2001b. If alcohol abuse/dependence does not develop anew after disasters, their presence in the population provides opportunities to recognize cases and provide treatment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

The Course of PTSD, Major Depression, Substance Abuse, and Somatization After a Natural Disaster

North

Kawasaki

Spitznagel

et al. 2004

Journal of Nervous &Amp; Mental Disease

217

137

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Flood research has used a variety of methods, yielding inconsistent findings. Universal definitions of illness are paramount to the science of psychiatric epidemiology of disasters. St. Louis area survivors (N = 162) of the Great Midwestern Floods of 1993 received a structured diagnostic assessment at 4 and 16 months postdisaster, with 88% follow-up. The purpose of the assessment was to examine predisaster and postdisaster rates of disorders and symptoms. Flood-related posttraumatic stress disorder was diagnosed in 22% and 16% at index and follow-up, respectively. Comorbidity with major depression determined whether the posttraumatic stress disorder would have remitted by 1 year later. Nearly one half of the men in the sample had a pre-existing alcohol use disorder. Virtually no new substance abuse followed the floods, and hence, substance abuse did not develop in response to the disaster or as part of coping with its aftermath. Somatization disorder was not observed; new somatoform symptoms represented a fraction of postflood somatic complaints. Findings are inconsistent with causal attribution of floods in the etiology of alcohol abuse and somatization. Methodological differences may account for much of the apparent discrepancy of these findings, with recent reports of increased alcohol use and somatic symptoms observed after other disasters.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

The Course of PTSD, Major Depression, Substance Abuse, and Somatization After a Natural Disaster

North

Kawasaki

Spitznagel

et al. 2004

Journal of Nervous &Amp; Mental Disease

217

137

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“…52 Evidence does suggest that dramatic reductions in outlet availability of alcohol outlets can have significant impacts on drinking behavior and negative alcoholrelated consequences. 15,53 Another approach could be to reduce the availability of more problematic beverages such as malt liquors and fortified wines. Preliminary studies indicate some success using this approach, 54 although larger studies with more rigorous designs are required to establish the effectiveness of such an approach.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alcohol Availability and Neighborhood Characteristics in Los Angeles, California and Southern Louisiana

et al. 2008

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The objective of this study was to examine the associations between alcohol availability types and community characteristics in randomly selected census tracts in Southern California and Southeastern Louisiana. Outlet shelf space and price by beverage type was collected from all off-sale alcohol outlets in 189 census tracts by trained research personnel. Three aspects of alcohol availability at the census tract level were considered-outlets per roadway mile, shelf space, and least price by beverage type. Using multivariate analyses, we examined the associations between census tract socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and alcohol availability types. Fifteen measures of alcohol availability were calculated-total shelf space and shelf space by beverage types (beer, malt liquor, and distilled spirits); outlets per roadway mile, per tract, and per capita; and least price by beverage type (including wine). In multivariate analyses controlling for state, male unemployment rate was inversely associated with total shelf space (p=0.03) and distilled spirit shelf space (p=0.05). Malt liquor shelf space was inversely associated with percent White (p=0.02). Outlets per roadway mile was positively associated with household poverty (pG0.0001), whereas percent African American was inversely associated with outlets per roadway mile (p=0.03). Beveragespecific least prices were not associated with any socioeconomic or demographic community characteristics. Alcohol availability types, but not least price, were associated with some community characteristics. More research exploring how alcohol availability types vary by community and their relationship to alcohol-related harms should be conducted.

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“…There have been conflicting findings regarding post-event outcomes (on the individual and community level) and antecedent risk factors. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] The disaster literature has been growing quickly in the past decade, spanning studies evaluating physical as well as psychiatric/psychological outcomes following natural disasters and manmade disasters (e.g., terrorist activity) alike. For instance, in reviewing dozens of studies, Rodriguez et al found that although many persons are resilient in the face of exposure to disasters (with up to half of persons never developing symptoms), there is a vulnerable minority that may develop mood, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms that persist for 18 months or more 13 depending on level of exposure and antecedent risk factors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychiatric Comorbidity, Red Flag Behaviors, and Associated Outcomes among Office-Based Buprenorphine Patients Following Hurricane Sandy

et al. 2014

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In October 2012, Bellevue Hospital Center (Bellevue) in New York City was temporarily closed as a result of Hurricane Sandy, the largest hurricane in US history. Bellevue's primary care office-based buprenorphine program was temporarily closed and later relocated to an affiliate public hospital. Previous research indicates that the relationships between disaster exposure, substance use patterns, psychiatric symptoms, and mental health services utilization is complex, with often conflicting findings regarding post-event outcomes (on the individual and community level) and antecedent risk factors. In general, increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs is associated with both greater disaster exposure and the development or exacerbation of other psychiatric symptoms and need for treatment. To date, there is limited published information regarding post-disaster outcomes among patients enrolled in office-based buprenorphine treatment, as the treatment modality has only been relatively approved recently. Patients enrolled in the buprenorphine program at the time of the storm were surveyed for self-reported buprenorphine adherence and illicit substance and alcohol use, as well as disaster-related personal consequences and psychiatric sequelae poststorm. Baseline demographic characteristics and insurance status were available from the medical record. Analysis was descriptive (counts and proportions) and qualitative, coding open-ended responses for emergent themes. There were 132 patients enrolled in the program at the time of the storm; of those, 91 were contacted and 89 completed the survey. Almost half of respondents reported disruption of their buprenorphine supply. Unexpectedly, patients with psychiatric comorbidity were no more likely to report increased use/relapse as a result. Rather, major risk factors associated with increased use or relapse post-storm were: (1) shorter length of time in treatment, (2) exposure to storm losses such as buprenorphine supply disruption, (3) a pre-storm history of red flag behaviors (in particular, repeat opioid-positive urines), and (4) new-onset poststorm psychiatric symptoms. Our findings highlight the relative resilience of buprenorphine as an office-based treatment modality for patients encountering a disaster with associated unanticipated service disruption. In responding to future disasters, triaging patient contact and priority based on a history of red-flag behaviors, rather than a history of psychiatric comorbidity, will likely optimize resource allocation, especially among recently enrolled patients. Additionally, patients endorsing new-onset psychiatric manifestations following disasters may be an especially high-risk group for poor outcomes, warranting further study.

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Natural disasters and alcohol consumption in a cultural context: the Great Hanshin Earthquake in Japan

Abstract: More attention should be placed on drinking in the cultural context where a disaster occurs. It may sometimes deter, rather than encourage, drinking among the affected population.

Cited by 40 publications

References 0 publications

The Course of PTSD, Major Depression, Substance Abuse, and Somatization After a Natural Disaster

The Course of PTSD, Major Depression, Substance Abuse, and Somatization After a Natural Disaster

Alcohol Availability and Neighborhood Characteristics in Los Angeles, California and Southern Louisiana

Psychiatric Comorbidity, Red Flag Behaviors, and Associated Outcomes among Office-Based Buprenorphine Patients Following Hurricane Sandy

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