The decision to return home and wellbeing after the Fukushima disaster

The Fukushima disaster led to a decline in the wellbeing of those affected. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the relationship between evacuee status and wellbeing and investigated the possible variables associated with wellbeing. In January 2018, we randomly distributed questionnaires to 2000 people between the ages of 20 and 79 who lived in municipalities where evacuation orders had been lifted. The total number of participants was 680. Five types of wellbeing were measured: positive emotion, negative-free emotion, life satisfaction and general happiness, positive characteristics, and positive functioning. Irrespective of the five types, people who had already returned to their hometown reported a greater sense of wellbeing than did those who did not know whether to return. Psychological distress was negatively associated with all types of wellbeing among evacuees, whereas no significant association between psychological distress and wellbeing, except for positive functioning, was observed in people who had already returned. Among those who intend to return, the presence of an unemployed member of the household led to lower "life satisfaction and general happiness" and "positive characteristics." By contrast, a history of hypertension was negatively associated with five types of wellbeing in those who had already returned, possibly reflecting the decreased quality of medical facilities in the respondents' hometowns. To promote wellbeing among the affected people, planning regarding the lifting of evacuation orders should be promptly implemented to support the affected people's decisions regarding whether to return. Furthermore, different policy strategies for evacuees and returnees would be welcome.