Risk factors of depression after prolonged low-dose rate environmental radiation exposure.

PURPOSE: More than 10,000 Taiwanese people were exposed to excessive protracted low-dose rate radiation from contaminated reinforcement bars, which were installed in buildings before 1992. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of depression amongst the exposed and identify related determinants now that more than two decades have passed since this population was informed of their exposure to radiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the Beck depression inventory (BDI)-1A questionnaire to survey 2143 eligible people during their annual physical examinations between March 2009 and December 2009. In total, 1621 people participated in the survey. We employed multivariate logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations method to identify the determinants of depression. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression (BDI-IA score ≥ 12) was 18.7%. Those who exhibited higher cumulative exposure [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-2.07] and a previous history of depression (adjusted OR: 2.49, 95% CI: 1.36-4.58) were significantly associated with the risk of depression, whereas education level was inversely related to depression (adjusted OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.50-0.99). CONCLUSION: Long-term, low-dose rate radiation exposure early in life might cause subsequent psychological stress and an increased risk of depression decades later.

Late effects on the health-related quality of life in a cohort population decades after environmental radiation exposure.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the late effects on the quality of life (QOL) of individual years after protracting low-dose radiation exposure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assessed 1,818 subjects using the World Health Organization Questionnaire on Quality of Life--Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) in several Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) domains. After adjusting for demographic characteristics and comorbidities, we examined the HRQoL differences at various levels of exposure and ages at disclosure. We also evaluated the potential effect modification by gender. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, girls aged 12 years or younger at the disclosure of exposure had lower HRQoL scores in physical, psychological, and environmental domains compared to those with later age at disclosure. The differences in the HRQoL scores between different exposure subgroups were not significant in physical, psychological, and social relationship domains, and only appeared in the environmental domain. CONCLUSIONS: Being female and less than 12 years of age at disclosure were more significant predictors of HRQoL scores than the levels of radiation exposure among people exposed to protracted low-dose radiation. Further studies are needed to determine the psychological distresses, such as depression and anxiety, and their relationships in this case, especially for the most vulnerable young females.

Perception of quality of life of a cohort population years after relocation from previous low-dose radiation exposure in Co-60 contaminated buildings in Taiwan.

PURPOSE: To evaluate measures of health-related quality of life in a cohort study in Taiwan to assess late health effects of protracted low-dose-rate γ-radiation exposure during 1982 to the mid-1990s. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 2004, 1,407 cohort subjects were evaluated by a self-measured World Health Organisation-Brief quality of life Questionnaires (WHOQOL-BREF Taiwan version) during an annual medical check-up in a hospital. Results of their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in physical, psychological, social relationship and environmental domains were compared with an unexposed reference population in the same city. RESULTS: The exposed population was shown to have significantly lower quality of life (QOL) scores in physical, psychological and social relationship domains, but not in the environmental domain compared to the unexposed population. These findings were observed in all age groups with the greatest decrease found among those younger than 25 years old. Female subjects were shown to have larger decrease than male subjects. CONCLUSIONS: More than 10 years after being informed of radiation exposure, the exposed populations were observed to have significantly lower perception of HRQoL even though no biomedical effects were apparent. It is recommended that appropriate intervention be carried out in the follow-up of post-event rehabilitation for the radiation exposed.