Longitudinal Factors Associated With Increased Alcohol and Tobacco Use in Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Workers 32 Months After the Nuclear Disaster: The Fukushima News Project Study.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to predict increased alcohol and tobacco use in Fukushima nuclear power plant (NPP) workers 3 years after a nuclear disaster. Surveys were conducted in two postdisaster waves (Wave 1: 2 to 3 months; Wave 2: 32 months). Adjusted risk ratio (aRR) was computed to assess the covariates of increased alcohol and tobacco use in Wave 2. Increased alcohol use was associated with age of 29 years or less [aRR (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.26 (1.01 to 1.57)], major property loss [1.25 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.55)], and high posttraumatic stress responses (PTSRs) [1.34 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.67)] in Wave 1. Increased tobacco use was associated with age of 29 years or less [1.46 (95% CI 1.12 to 1.90)] and high PTSR [1.62 (95% CI 1.25 to 2.10)] in Wave 1 (P < 0.05). The workers' increased alcohol and tobacco use were predicted by major property loss (alcohol), age of 29 years or less, and high PTSR (alcohol/tobacco) in Wave 1.