Stress after the Nuclear Accident : Two Cases of Psychosomatic Disorders in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Workers

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  • 原発事故後のストレス : 心身症を呈した福島第一原子力発電所作業員の2例
  • 症例研究 原発事故後のストレス : 心身症を呈した福島第一原子力発電所作業員の2例
  • ショウレイ ケンキュウ ゲンパツ ジコ ゴ ノ ストレス : シンシンショウ オ テイシタ フクシマ ダイイチ ゲンシリョク ハツデン ショサギョウイン ノ 2レイ

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Abstract

Our hospital is a disaster medical center located at 44 kms from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS). We report two cases of psychosomatic disorders workers at FDNPS after the nuclear accident. Case 1 : A 21-year-old male visited our hospital on April 8, 2011 complaining of headache, nausea, and malaise. There were no abnormal findings on physical examination and blood tests. After the accident, he moved to a safe area away from FDNPS, but he returned to construction work in the Seismic Isolation Building of FDNPS on March 25. His working included making a hole in the wall of the nuclear power station on April 6. He experienced a severe headache began from noon of April 7. In the evening, he rested in the J Village, the housing site for workers, and his headache subsided. However nausea and malaise persisted. The patient said that white things are scary for him since the color of radioactivity protective clothing is white. He was diagnosed as having a stress reaction, represented by migraine, due to fear of radioactivity. Considering his young age, we issued a medical certificate stating that "the patient needs to rest for three days and that his workplace should be limited to a distance of more than 30 kms away from FDNPS." Case 2 : A 45-year-old male visited the emergency room of our hospital on the evening of July 19, 2011 complaining of shortness of breath and discomfort. There was no abnormality in an ECG or blood tests, and he was directed to visit the Department of Cardiology. He revisited the emergency room the next day complaining of chest discomfort and was admitted to the department of cardiology. A coronary CT study showed no stenosis of the three coronary arteries. He was discharged on July 22. As soon as he arrived at the town he was staying in, located less than 30 kms from FDNPS, palpitations and chest discomfort recurred and he visited the emergency room again. He was prescribed an anti-anxiety drug. He also visited the emergency room on July 26 complaining of palpitations and was referred to our department on July 27. The patient was sent from Kansai district of Japan in April for debris removal work at FDNPS. Since his cardiac symptoms recurred as soon as he returned to his accommodation less than 30 kms from FDNPS, he was diagnosed as having cardiac neurosis due to fear of radioactivity. We issued a medical certificate stating that he should go back home and receive treatment. These two cases suggest that workers at FDNPS have been under intense psychological stress after the nuclear accident.

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