There are very few radiation effects that are suffered physically by people struck by modern nuclear disasters. Rather, mental illness is the biggest risk. This was reported by the authors of many papers in The Lancet.
The Mental Effects of Nuclear Disasters Are Much Worse
The physical dangers are widely understood, but the mental effects are much larger. Taking into consideration the most recent Fukushima incident, members of the staff at Fukushima Medical University, the doses of radiation that the public was exposed to were fairly low. There aren’t many concerns for the physical health effects of the people exposed, nor any concerns of psychological and social problems. However, the concerns for the overall mental health of those exposed.
There Are 437 Nuclear Power Plants Worldwide
There are currently 437 nuclear power plants in operation around the world, and nuclear accidents are very uncommon. The most recent nuclear disaster the world has seen was the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in 2011 in Japan. There have been four other severe nuclear accidents that are rated at a level 5 or higher, or accidents with wider consequences. In 2006, the United Nations Chernobyl Forum reports concluded that the nuclear disaster’s most devastating public health issues are the effects on the mental health. A lack of communication about the health risks associated with the radiation levels can make the problems worse. The rates of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder remain elevated up to 20 years after the accident.
The Same Problems Occured In Fukushima
The most recent nuclear disaster in Fukushima also saw these same problems. The Fukushima Health Management Survey reported that the proportion of adults with psychological distress was almost five times higher for evacuees. There was over an 11 percent increase in comparison to the general population. Repeat evacuations and long-term displacement can also bring severe health care problems for those involved. Mortality among the elderly in the first three months following evacuations were up by a factor of three the first three months following the evacuation. The subjects of these reports are the atomic bombings of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the nuclear accident in Chernobyl.
