Depressed

March 1, 2014

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Depression hits 7% of Miyagi coastal residents, 3 times nat'l average

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140301p2g00m0dm047000c.html 

SENDAI (Kyodo) -- A study of more than 3,700 adults in coastal communities in Miyagi Prefecture has shown just over 7 percent may be having depression or strong anxiety, while 5 percent are suspected to have post-traumatic stress disorder due to the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, according to Tohoku University.

The depression rate in Ishinomaki and six other coastal municipalities in the study released Thursday was three times higher than the average registered in a national survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in 2004.

The university said experiences of extreme situations and the deaths of relatives in the disaster are possible reasons behind the high rate of the psychological suffering.

Miyagi suffered the highest casualty among Japan's prefectures in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake, accounting for 9,537 of the 15,884 confirmed deaths, according to a National Police Agency survey as of Feb. 10.

The mental health study was conducted as part of a general health survey project being undertaken by Tohoku University and Iwate Medical University on a total of 150,000 people, mostly those affected by the disaster.

The latest result of mental health is based on an advance analysis of 3,744 people who responded to questionnaires when they underwent health checkups offered by municipal governments.

Hiroaki Tomita, disaster psychiatry professor who conducted the study, said, "Potentially, a higher proportion of people may be psychologically ill."

Suspected PTSD patients were estimated from the ratio of people who said they have painful memories of the disaster and experience difficulty in leading everyday life.

Depression and other psychological anomalies were checked using scores-based evaluations about mental health.

"It highlights the need for mental care," Tomita said of the study. "We hope to conduct further research to provide sufficient support."

March 01, 2014(Mainichi Japan)

February 28, 2014

Depression a serious problem in disaster-hit areas

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140228_11.html 

Depression among those who experienced the 2011 disaster in northeastern Japan appears to be a serious problem.

A survey has found about one in 4 residents in the regions of Miyagi Prefecture hit by the March 11th earthquake and tsunami shows symptoms of depression.

A project launched by a Tohoku University team has surveyed 3,744 residents in 6 municipalities in the prefecture since last May. The municipalities include Ishinomaki and Higashi-Matsushima.

Of the residents interviewed, 27 percent had symptoms of depression, including bleak moods.

Five percent reported that painful memories of the disaster were affecting their daily activities.

This includes reduced levels of concentration. Experts say these residents could be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

Professor Hiroaki Tomita in charge of the project at Tohoku University explained the survey was conducted during health checkups by the municipalities and the respondents are believed to be health-conscious.

He said a higher percentage of people could be suffering from depression if the survey included those who do not come for checkups.

Tohoku University and other organizations will continue to provide telephone counseling by clinical psycho-therapists to people with symptoms of depression. It will also involve specialized medical institutions to help combat the problem.

Feb. 28, 2014 - Updated 00:09 UTC