Purpose: The aim of this study is to assess whether the risk or types of suicide change in Fukushima in the aftermath of a series of disaster, including earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident in March 2011.
Method: The clinical records of all patients visited to the medical centre near the nuclear plant from 1 year before to 1 year after the disaster were reviewed (n = 981). Patients with non-fatal suicide attempt were divided into two categories depending on their method of suicide attempt. Standardised mortality ratios were calculated to adjust for changes in demographic profiles.
Results: The risk of non-fatal suicide attempts using high-mortality methods was significantly higher for 4 months, by three to four times after the series of disasters, and then decreased. There was no significant increase of non-fatal suicide attempts using low-mortality methods after the disaster.
Conclusions: After such a disaster, immediate psychiatric support may be required because of the increased risk of non-fatal suicide attempts in the immediate aftermath.