Prevalence of Mental Health Problems among Patients Treated by Emergency Medical Teams: Findings from J-SPEED Data Regarding the West Japan Heavy Rain 2018

Yui Yumiya, Odgerel Chimed-Ochir, Akihiro Taji, Eisaku Kishita, Kouki Akahoshi, Hisayoshi Kondo, Akinori Wakai, Kayoko Chishima, Yoshiki Toyokuni, Yuichi Koido, Hirokazu Tachikawa, Sho Takahashi, Sayaka Gomei, Yuzuru Kawashima and Tatsuhiko Kubo ()
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Yui Yumiya: Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan
Odgerel Chimed-Ochir: Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan
Akihiro Taji: Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan
Eisaku Kishita: Hiroshima Prefectural Government Health and Welfare Affairs Bureau, Hiroshima 730-8511, Japan
Kouki Akahoshi: National Hospital Organization Headquarters DMAT Secretariat MHLW Japan, Tokyo 190-8579, Japan
Hisayoshi Kondo: National Hospital Organization Headquarters DMAT Secretariat MHLW Japan, Tokyo 190-8579, Japan
Akinori Wakai: National Hospital Organization Headquarters DMAT Secretariat MHLW Japan, Tokyo 190-8579, Japan
Kayoko Chishima: National Hospital Organization Headquarters DMAT Secretariat MHLW Japan, Tokyo 190-8579, Japan
Yoshiki Toyokuni: National Hospital Organization Headquarters DMAT Secretariat MHLW Japan, Tokyo 190-8579, Japan
Yuichi Koido: National Hospital Organization Headquarters DMAT Secretariat MHLW Japan, Tokyo 190-8579, Japan
Hirokazu Tachikawa: Department of Disaster and Community Psychiatry, Division of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
Sho Takahashi: Department of Disaster and Community Psychiatry, Division of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
Sayaka Gomei: Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Saitama 343-8555, Japan
Yuzuru Kawashima: National Hospital Organization Headquarters DMAT Secretariat MHLW Japan, Tokyo 190-8579, Japan
Tatsuhiko Kubo: Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-8

Abstract: It is crucial to provide mental health care following a disaster because the victims tend to experience symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia during the acute phase. However, little research on mental health during the acute phase has been conducted, and reported only in terms of the temporal transition of the number of consultations and symptoms. Thus, the aim of the study was to examine how mental health care needs are accounted for in the overall picture of disaster relief and how they change over time. Using data from the Japanese version of Surveillance in Post-Extreme Emergencies and Disasters (J-SPEED), we assessed the mental health of injured and ill patients to whom Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) were providing care during the acute period of a disaster. Approximately 10% of all medical consultations were for mental health issues, 83% of which took place within the first 2 weeks after the disaster. The findings showed that, from the start of the response period to the 19th response day, the daily proportion of mental health problems declined substantially, and then gradually increased. Such a V-shaped pattern might be helpful for identifying phase changes and supporting the development of EMT exit strategies.

Keywords: Emergency Medical Team; Emergency Medical Team minimum data set; J-SPEED; natural disasters; epidemiology; sentinel surveillance; disaster psychiatry; mental health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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