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Living in Contaminated Radioactive Areas Is Not an Acute Risk Factor for Noncommunicable Disease Development: A Retrospective Observational Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2015

Takeaki Ishii ,
Masaharu Tsubokura ,
Sae Ochi ,
Shigeaki Kato ,
Amina Sugimoto ,
Shuhei Nomura ,
Yoshitaka Nishikawa ,
Masahiro Kami ,
Kenji Shibuya  and
Yasutoshi Saito
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Takeaki Ishii*
Affiliation:
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Soma Central Hospital, Soma, Fukushima, Japan Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan
Masaharu Tsubokura
Affiliation:
Department of Radiation Protection, Soma Central Hospital, Soma, Fukushima, Japan Division of Social Communication System for Advanced Clinical Research, the Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Sae Ochi
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Soma Central Hospital, Soma, Fukushima, Japan
Shigeaki Kato
Affiliation:
Department of Radiation Protection, Soma Central Hospital, Soma, Fukushima, Japan
Amina Sugimoto
Affiliation:
Department of Health Services Research and Policy Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Medicine, London, United Kingdom
Shuhei Nomura
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom Department of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Yoshitaka Nishikawa
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Soma Central Hospital, Soma, Fukushima, Japan
Masahiro Kami
Affiliation:
Division of Social Communication System for Advanced Clinical Research, the Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Kenji Shibuya
Affiliation:
Department of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Yasutoshi Saito
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Soma Central Hospital, Soma, Fukushima, Japan
Yukihide Iwamoto
Affiliation:
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan
Hidekiyo Tachiya
Affiliation:
City Office of Soma, Soma, Fukushima, Japan
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Takeaki Ishii, MD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Soma Central Hospital, 3-5-18 Okinouchi, Soma city, Fukushima 976-0016, Japan (e-mail: takeaki_ishii@hotmail.co.jp).
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Abstract

Objective

Although much attention is now being paid to the health risks associated with nuclear disasters, reliable information is lacking. We retrospectively evaluated the health effects of living in highly contaminated radioactive areas in Japan.

Methods

The health evaluation was conducted in Tamano district, Fukushima prefecture, in 2011 and 2012. The surface deposition density of cesium in Tamano was 600 to 1000 kBq/m2 shortly after the Fukushima nuclear accident. Clinical parameters included body mass index, blood pressure, and laboratory examinations for blood cell counts, glucose levels, and lipid profiles. A screening program for internal and external exposure was also implemented.

Results

One hundred fifty-five residents participated in the health evaluation. Significant decreases in average body mass index and blood pressure were observed from 2011 to 2012. Annual internal exposure levels did not exceeded 1 mSv in any participants. The levels of external exposure ranged from 1.3 to 4.3 mSv/y measured in the first test period but decreased to 0.8 to 3.6 mSv/y in the second test period.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that inhabiting nuclear contaminated areas is not always associated with short-term health deterioration and that radiation exposure can be controlled within safety limitations. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:34–37)

Keywords

health promotionpublic health practiceradiation protection
Type
Brief Reports
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 10 , Supplement 1 , February 2016 , pp. 34 - 37
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2015 

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References

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