Ultrasound cardiography examinations detect victims' long-term realized and potential consequences after major disasters: a case-control study

BACKGROUND@#An increase in cardiovascular diseases has been reported following major disasters. Previous work has shown that ultrasonographic findings from ultrasound cardiography examination (UCG) increased until the 44th month after the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The present study conducted UCG among victims in the tsunami disaster area and investigated the frequency of disaster-related cardiovascular diseases and changes over time until the 55th month after the disaster.@*METHODS@#The subjects were residents of temporary housing complexes and neighboring housing in Watari-gun, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. There were 207 subjects in the 18th month, 125 in the 30th month, 121 in the 44th month, and 106 in the 55th month after the disaster. Data were collected through UCG and self-report questionnaire.@*RESULTS@#Significant changes were observed among subjects with clinical findings from the UCG, which increased over the study period-from 42.0 to 60.8, 72.7, and 73.6% beginning in the 18th month after the disaster (p < 0.0001).@*CONCLUSIONS@#It is possible that the UCG can become a useful examination to visualize the potential impact of a major disaster on the cardiac function of victims. Victims with clinical findings continued increasing not only during the acute phase after a disaster but also in the long term. We therefore need to keep this in mind, and note that it is important to establish a support system to control cardiovascular diseases from the early stage of disaster.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#UMIN; ID000029802. R000034050 . 2 November 2017.

Issues in disaster prevention measures and responses as seen in the Great East Japan Earthquake / 日本プライマリ・ケア連合学会誌

This research clarifies what issues local government personnel faced in their response to the Great East Japan Earthquake and if they intend to use the knowledge gained from such issues in the future.<br>The research conducts oral interviews with Tagajo city personnel. The questions primarily concern issues in the disaster response, future disaster response initiatives.<br>Respondents report that “the scale of the disaster was unimaginable, and as they were conducting relief activities without an established manual, there are some things that were codified as rules or placed into a manual based on failures of their effort. The intention is that in the future, thorough care be provided for victims unable to enter public housing.<br>Since the time immediately following the disaster until today, there have been efforts to record these lessons.

Depression status and related factors of elderly victims in Chengdu and Deyang 8 months after the Wenchuan earthquake / 中国心理卫生杂志

Objective: To explore the depression stares of the elderly experienced the Wenchuan earthquake and to know the related factors. Methods: Using the convenient sampling method, 390 elderly living in Chengdu and Deyang City were included in this investigation. Demographic data was recorded and the Center for Epidemiolog-ic Studies Depression (CES-D) was applied individually. Results: In this sample, 9.8% of the elderly had sus-pected depression symptom and 30.3% had depression symptom. Depression status was related to sex, education,habitual residence, occupation and experiences in earthquake. Compared with the elderly who were males, with middle school education degree, without horrible experiences in the past, with less fearful/helpless/horrible feel-ings in earthquake, the elderly who were females (OR=2.03), with education degree below primary school (OR =2.59), with horrible experiences in the past (OR=2.06), and with strong fearful/helpless/horrible feeling in earthquake (OR=1.59), had more serious depression. Conclusion: After 8 months of Wenchuan earthquake, lo-cal elderly victims are still in severe depression. The elderly who are female, with low education level, engaged in farm work, suffered great loss should be paid special attention.