Psychological status of chernobyl nuclear power plant operators after the nuclear disaster

Koscheyev, Victor S.; Martens, Vladimir K.; Kosenkov, A.; Lartzev, Michael A.; Leon, Gloria R.

doi:10.1002/jts.2490060412

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…50 Power plant operators continuing to work at Chernobyl in the first-year aftermath showed increases in psychological distress over time. 51 However, new workers transferred to Chernobyl after the explosion exhibited more risk-taking personality traits than did the previous workers, indicating a possible selection factor in those volunteering for the extra pay and other benefits associated with the assignment.…”

Section: Psychological Effects On Disaster Workersmentioning

confidence: 97%

Overview of the Psychosocial Impact of Disasters

Leon

2004

Prehosp. Disaster med.

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The psychosocial sequelae can be intense and of long duration in the aftermath of natural and technological disasters, as well as terrorist attacks. Posttraumatic stress symptoms and full syndrome disorder, depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, and excessive alcohol use have been demonstrated consistently, particularly following large-scale disasters. This paper examines the psychological research conducted at various intervals after extensive natural disasters, the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl technological accidents, and recent terrorist events in the United States. Factors predictive of the emergence of emotional distress and psychological and physical problems following a disaster also are discussed.

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Section: Psychological Effects On Disaster Workersmentioning

confidence: 97%

Overview of the Psychosocial Impact of Disasters

Leon

2004

Prehosp. Disaster med.

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“…In this review, there were 24 category A studies [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ], 10 category B studies [ 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ], and only 1 category C study [ 48 ]. The list of included studies is given in Supplementary Material 2 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Table 2 provides a summary of the risks of bias in the cohort and before-and-after studies, and Table 3 summarizes the risks of bias in the randomized controlled trial. For three studies ( Table 2 : Dohrenwend 1981 [ 15 ] and Baum 1993 [ 22 ] for TMI, and Koscheyev 1993 [ 25 ] for Chernobyl), we did not conduct an assessment because the description of the study design was not clear. Among the cohort and before-and-after studies, 9 of 24 studies had a high risk of bias in Selection of Participants, and 19 had a high risk of bias in Blinding of Outcome Assessment.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Regarding the Chernobyl NPP disaster in 1986, only four studies [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ] were extracted for category A. Two of them were studies of nuclear plant workers (operators or clean-up workers) [ 25 , 28 ], and the other two were investigations of individuals who emigrated to Israel after the accident [ 26 , 27 ]. Only one of the four studies provides data obtained from the former Soviet Union, which collapsed in 1991 [ 25 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mental Health Consequences of the Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima Nuclear Disasters: A Scoping Review

Takebayashi

Sato

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Many individuals who were affected by the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident continue to face a challenging recovery. We reviewed the long-term mental health consequences of three major nuclear power plant accidents: the Three Mile Island (TMI, 1979), Chernobyl (1986), and Fukushima (2011) nuclear disasters. We examined the relevant prospective cohort studies and before-and-after studies that covered more than two timepoints, searching four databases (PubMed, Ichushi, PsyArticles, and PTSDPub). We identified a total of 35 studies: TMI, n = 11; Chernobyl, n = 6; and Fukushima, n = 18. The smaller numbers of early-phase studies (within 6 months) of the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters may also indicate the chaotic situation at those timepoints, as large-scale interviews were conducted in the early phase after the TMI disaster. Although the patterns of effects on mental health outcomes were diverse, more than half of the participants in the studies we evaluated were categorized into low or under-threshold symptom groups in all three disasters. Across the three disasters, the radiation exposure level estimated by the proximity and stigma were the common risk factors for mental health outcomes. Our findings will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the impact of the worst nuclear accidents in history on the affected individuals’ mental health, and our results illustrate the longitudinal consequences of such disasters.

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“…Power plant operators working at Chernobyl after the explosion demonstrated increases in psychological distress over time. 17 The psychological status of a large group of the Chernobyl area population evaluated during the first year after the accident indicated immediate reactions of anxiety and fear, and over time, an increase in neurotic disorders in those persons already vulnerable because of pre-existing psychological dysfunction. 18 An investigation conducted in 1989-1990 of adults and children living in villages in the Chernobyl region indicated high levels of anxiety, stress, and hypertension (possibly stress-related) in residents of both the contaminated and control villages.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Psychosocial Aftermath of the Chernobyl Disaster in an Area of Relatively Low Contamination

Koscheyev

Leon

Gourine³

et al. 1997

Prehosp. Disaster med.

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Introduction:There has been relatively little attention paid to the mid- and long-term effects of large-scale disasters, particularly their effects on children and young people. At the present time, the impact of the Chernobyl catastrophe on the daily lives of the affected population may include one of strong psychological stress due to uncertainty about ultimate health outcomes. Persons in the Chernobyl region in specific areas of low contamination may be affected similarly. This investigation assesses radiation concerns and attitudes about health and government information, nine years after the disaster, in a group of adults and adolescents residing in a relatively uncontaminated village in the Chernobyl area.Methods:Questionnaires were administered to 94 adults and 50 adolescents. Items assessed beliefs about extent of radiation exposure, health concerns regarding oneself and family members, past and current pre-occupation about the disaster, and trust in the accuracy of government information about health effects.Results:Considerable uncertainty was demonstrated in both adults and adolescents about the extent of their and their families exposure to radiation. Marked distrust of past and current government information about health effects was evident. A large proportion of subjects reported that they still thought frequently about the Chernobyl accident. They worried about health problems related to radiation exposure whenever they or their family members exhibited physical symptoms or complaints, and they urged family members to go to a medical clinic for evaluation to assess these symptoms.Conclusion:The extent of long-term concerns about the personal and family health effects of the Chernobyl disaster in this population residing in a relatively uncontaminated village is striking: the psychological impact on adolescents is considerable. The stress generated is maintained by the realistic uncertainty about the ultimate health consequences to the overall population as a result of radiation exposure and distrust in government information about contamination levels in this particular village. The level of stress and its effects on physical and mental health may increase over time if there is a rise in morbidity in the area. The continuing health needs of the extremely large population affected by the Chernobyl disaster need to be addressed.

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Psychological status of chernobyl nuclear power plant operators after the nuclear disaster

Cited by 13 publications

References 11 publications

Overview of the Psychosocial Impact of Disasters

Overview of the Psychosocial Impact of Disasters

Mental Health Consequences of the Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima Nuclear Disasters: A Scoping Review

The Psychosocial Aftermath of the Chernobyl Disaster in an Area of Relatively Low Contamination

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