Long-Term Mental Health Support after Natural Hazard Events: A Report from an Online Survey among Experts in Japan

Ryoma Kayano, Mingming Lin, Yasuko Shinozaki, Shuhei Nomura and Yoshiharu Kim
Additional contact information
Ryoma Kayano: Centre for Health Development, World Health Organization, 1-5-1 Wakinohama-Kaigandori, Chuo-ku, Kobe 651-0073, Japan
Mingming Lin: Laboratory for Imagination and Executive Functions, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako-shi 351-0198, Japan
Yasuko Shinozaki: Mental Health and Disability Health Division, Department of Health and Welfare for Persons with Disabilities, Social Welfare and War Victims Relief Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 1-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8916, Japan
Shuhei Nomura: Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
Yoshiharu Kim: National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi, Kodaira 187-8553, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 5, 1-10

Abstract: This paper aims to provide preliminary evidence on the degree of consensus on the approach to long-term mental health and psychosocial support after a natural hazard event. We conducted an online survey among mental health experts in Japan. The questionnaire was divided into five categories: (A) terminology setting definition of “long-term”, (B) priority in activity for long-term mental health support, (C) system and preparedness for better support, (D) transition from acute support to long-term support, and (E) actions to improve preparedness for future disasters. Invitations to participate in the survey were sent by e-mail in November 2017 to mental health experts in Japan, who had participated in workshops related to disaster mental health or trauma care organized by the National Institute of Mental Health over the last 15 years. Out of 1385 experts who received the invitation, a total of 305 participants responded to the survey. Participants were for the most part in agreement regarding focuses and required preparedness and actions for long-term support. There was still low consensus especially on defining the timeframe “long-term”. The acute phase and long-term phase were identified as being different in dimension rather than category. Although caution is necessary around the representativeness of these findings, they will provide important scientific evidence for the development of future plans for a qualitative improvement in long-term mental health support.

Keywords: health EDRM; long-term; disaster mental health; natural hazards; Japan; survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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