Social Determinants of Health Anxiety after the Fukushima Nuclear Accident: Child and Maternal Health Study.

Background: Four years have passed since the Fukushima nuclear accident. While memories of the accident fade away, mothers of young children in Fukushima Prefecture still feel anxiety about their child’s and their own health. However, mother’s health anxiety and its chronological change have not been studied. Therefore, child-support programs associated with radioactive contamination remain inadequate. This study examines mother’s health anxiety and its social determinants.

Methods: The survey targeted 3-years children (born in 2008) and their mother who lived in Nakadori 9 municipalities of Fukushima Prefecture. This panel survey was conducted three times from 2013 (N=1,026).

Results: We classified the respondents according to trajectories of health anxiety. Resistance or Resilience (initially moderate or severe anxiety followed by a sharp decrease: 18.5%), Recovery (initially moderate or severe anxiety followed by a gradual decrease: 24.2%), and Chronic Dysfunction (moderate or severe and stable anxiety: 53.7%). We found that lower SES (education and spouse’s occupation) was associated with chronic health anxiety.