Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39939351›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Medical perspective on the systemic challenges involving indirect disaster-related deaths in Japan.

Motohiro Tsuboi, Hiroyuki Sasaki, Hyejeong Park, Masaharu Tsubokura, Toyoaki Sawano, Nahoko Harada, Fumiyasu Zaima, Akihiro Uto, Tadashi Okamoto, Toshihiko Watanabe and 7 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Motohiro TsuboiInternational Cooperation for Disaster Medicine Lab., International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Sendai City, Miyagi, 980-8572, Japan. tsuboi.motohiro.r8@dc.tohoku.ac.jp.
Hiroyuki SasakiInternational Cooperation for Disaster Medicine Lab., International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Sendai City, Miyagi, 980-8572, Japan.
Hyejeong ParkInternational Cooperation for Disaster Medicine Lab., International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Sendai City, Miyagi, 980-8572, Japan.
Masaharu TsubokuraDepartment of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-Oka, Fukushima City, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.
Toyoaki SawanoDepartment of Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, 57 Kaminodai, Joban Kamiyunagaya-Cho, Iwaki City, Fukushima, 972-8322, Japan.
Nahoko HaradaGraduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata Town, Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama, 700-0914, Japan.
Fumiyasu ZaimaSora-Umi Law Office, 4-5-6 Shibuya Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo, 150-0002, Japan.
Akihiro UtoUto-Yamada Law Office, 1-2-1 Omachi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai City, Miyagi, 980-0804, Japan.
Tadashi OkamotoGinza Partners Law Office, 6-14-8 Ginza, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, 104-0061, Japan.
Toshihiko WatanabeHamadori Law Office, 120 Tamachi, Taira, Iwaki City, Fukushima, 970-8026, Japan.
Manabu HibiyaTeikyo Academic Research Center, Teikyo University, 2-11-1, Kaga, Itabashi-Ku, Tokyo, 173-8605, Japan.
Shinsaku UedaDisaster Medical Training Center, Japanese Red Cross Ishinomaki Hospital, 71 Hebitanishimichishita, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi, 986-8522, Japan.
Noboru SakamotoKawasaki City College of Nursing, 4-30-1 Ogura, Saiwai-Ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa, 212-0054, Japan.
Koichi YasakaAdvanced Emergency and Critical Care Center, Japanese Red Cross Saitama Hospital, 1-5 Shintoshin, Chuo-Ku, Saitama City, Saitama, 330-8553, Japan.
Shigemasa TaguchiAdvanced Emergency and Critical Care Center, Japanese Red Cross Saitama Hospital, 1-5 Shintoshin, Chuo-Ku, Saitama City, Saitama, 330-8553, Japan.
Kazuya KiyotaAdvanced Emergency and Critical Care Center, Japanese Red Cross Saitama Hospital, 1-5 Shintoshin, Chuo-Ku, Saitama City, Saitama, 330-8553, Japan.
Shinichi EgawaInternational Cooperation for Disaster Medicine Lab., International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Sendai City, Miyagi, 980-8572, Japan.

Funding

JSPS KAKENHI 17H00840JSPS KAKENHI 17H06108JSPS KAKENHI 21H05001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Disaster-related deaths can be classified as direct and indirect disaster-related deaths that are becoming more predominant in Japan. To reduce indirect disaster-related deaths, accurate statistics based on medical documentation are essential. However, the definition and reporting of such deaths in Japan present systemic challenges. These deaths are certified and recorded by municipalities at the request of bereaved families seeking condolence grants. This cross-sectional study assessed 755 certified indirect disaster-related deaths after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake in the Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, to determine whether medical documents mentioned disaster relevance. Of the 755 cases, 74 (9.8%) death certificates and 145 (19.2%) medical documents described the relevance of disasters. Relevance mentioned only in the self-reported documentation from bereaved families was 536 (71.0%). The median [interquartile range] time from the disaster onset to disaster-related deaths was 21 [7-52] days. The mean age was 79.7-years-old, and 346 (46.7%) of the victims were female. The predominant etiologies of these deaths included circulatory (32.7%) and respiratory (27.7%) diseases. The time periods of the deaths varied among the municipalities, suggesting a lack of consensus among the review committees. Establishing a medical and social consensus for indirect disaster-related deaths and recording them on death certificates is crucial for accurate disaster death data and social resilience.

Indexed as

DisastersAgedAged, 80 and overCause of DeathCross-Sectional StudiesDeath CertificatesEarthquakesFemaleHumansJapanMaleMiddle AgedDeath certificateEtiologiesGreat East Japan EarthquakeIndirect disaster-related deathsSocial resilienceSystemic challenges

Identifiers

PMID39939351
PMCPMC11822013

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.