Does the Great East Japan Earthquake Influence the Migration Patterns of Filipino Nurses to Japan? – Study on the Mental Health of Filipino Nurses to Japan

The disaster caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake influence foreign residents in Japan.  A mass exodus of foreigners was observed especially in the first few months after the earthquake for fear of being exposed to long-lasting radiological contamination cause by the accident of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Nevertheless, there were Filipino nurses, who entered Japan to work at hospitals across the country, only two months after the earthquake. 

This study aim to find the predictors of the mental health status of the 3^rd batch Filipino nurses coming to Japan, under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreements.  A four-page questionnaire, including GHQ (General Health Questionnaire), socio-demographic status, motivation to go to Japan, degree of knowledge about Japan, language skill, satisfaction for pre-departure training and impact of The Great East Japan Earthquake, was developed and distributed to all candidates who attended the pre-departure orientation organized by Philippine Overseas Employment Administration in May, 2011.  

The multi-linear-regression model (R² =.535, p<0.001) indicated that the strongest factor to indicate GHQ score was satisfaction for pre-departure training (beta=.370, p<0.01), followed by motivation to go to Japan (beta=-.351, p<0.01), but impact of the earthquake did not show a significant correlation to GHQ score.  

One can assume that Filipino nurses’ migration was derived by their motivation based on their economic needs.  On the other hand, the degree of impact of the earthquake did not influence their migration patterns.