Communicating With Residents About Risks Following the Fukushima Nuclear Accident

Murakami, Michio, Sato, Akiko, Matsui, Shiro, Goto, Aya, Kumagai, Atsushi, Tsubokura, Masahara, Orita, Makiko, Takamura, Noboru, Kuroda, Yujiro and Ochi, Sae, (2016). Communicating With Residents About Risks Following the Fukushima Nuclear Accident. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 29(2S), 74S-89S

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  • Sub-type Journal article
    Author Murakami, Michio
    Sato, Akiko
    Matsui, Shiro
    Goto, Aya
    Kumagai, Atsushi
    Tsubokura, Masahara
    Orita, Makiko
    Takamura, Noboru
    Kuroda, Yujiro
    Ochi, Sae
    Title Communicating With Residents About Risks Following the Fukushima Nuclear Accident
    Appearing in Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health
    Volume 29
    Issue No. 2S
    Publication Date 2016
    Place of Publication Online
    Publisher Sage Publications
    Start page 74S
    End page 89S
    Language eng
    Abstract The Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011 posed major threats to public health. In response, medical professionals have tried to communicate the risks to residents. To investigate forms of risk communication and to share lessons learned, we reviewed medical professionals’ activities in Fukushima Prefecture from the prefectural level to the individual level: public communication through Fukushima Health Management Surveys, a Yorozu (“general”) health consultation project, communications of radiological conditions and health promotion in Iitate and Kawauchi villages, dialogues based on whole-body counter, and science communications through online media. The activities generally started with radiation risks, mainly through group-based discussions, but gradually shifted to face-to-face communications to address comprehensive health risks to individuals and well-being. The activities were intended to support residents' decisions and to promote public health in a participatory manner. This article highlights the need for a systematic evaluation of ongoing risk communication practices, and a wider application of successful approaches for Fukushima recovery and for better preparedness for future disasters.
    Keyword Anxiety
    Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident
    Psychological distress
    Radiation risk
    Risk communication
    Great East Japan Earthquake
    Copyright Holder Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health
    Copyright Year 2016
    Copyright type All rights reserved
    DOI 10.1177/1010539516681841
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    Created: Thu, 06 Jul 2017, 17:09:45 JST by PEGUES, Susan Scott on behalf of UNU IAS