Social and Mental Health Impact of Nuclear Disaster in Survivors: A Narrative Review

Caley Longmuir; Vincent I. O. Agyapong

doi:10.3390/bs11080113

journal article Open Access Aug 23, 2021

Social and Mental Health Impact of Nuclear Disaster in Survivors: A Narrative Review

Caley Longmuir Vincent I. O. Agyapong

Behavioral Sciences Vol. 11 No. 8 pp. 113 · MDPI AG

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Abstract

This narrative review synthesizes the literature on the psychological consequences of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident of 1979, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986, and the Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011. A search was conducted on OVID for studies in English from 1966 to 2020. Fifty-nine studies were included. Living through a nuclear disaster is associated with higher levels of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Decontamination workers, those living in closest proximity to the reactor, and evacuees experience higher rates of mental health problems after a nuclear disaster. Those with greater psychological resilience and social supports experience lower rates of psychological distress. Individual-level interventions, such as mindfulness training, behavioral activation, and cognitive reappraisal training, have shown modest benefits on improving psychological wellbeing. At the population level, many of the measures in place aimed at reducing exposure to radiation actually increase individuals’ anxiety. Technology-based supports have been studied in other types of natural disasters and it may be beneficial to look at mobile-based interventions for future nuclear disasters.

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Details

Published: Aug 23, 2021
Vol/Issue: 11(8)
Pages: 113
License: View

Authors

C

Caley Longmuir

Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada

V

Vincent I. O. Agyapong

Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada

Cite This Article

Caley Longmuir, Vincent I. O. Agyapong (2021). Social and Mental Health Impact of Nuclear Disaster in Survivors: A Narrative Review. Behavioral Sciences, 11(8), 113. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs11080113

Social and Mental Health Impact of Nuclear Disaster in Survivors: A Narrative Review

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