Outpatient rehabilitation for an older couple in a repopulated village 10 years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster:An embedded case study

Yuta Saito, Sora Sato, Yoshitaka Nishikawa, Fumiya Oguro, Nobuaki Moriyama, Keiichiro Sato, Yurie Kobashi, Toyoaki Sawano, Akihiko Ozaki, Takeo Nakayama, Masaharu Tsubokura, Seiji Yasumura, Shohei Sakai

Author information
  • Yuta Saito
    Department of Rehabilitation, Hirata Central Hospital
  • Sora Sato
    Hirata Rehabilitation Care Center
  • Yoshitaka Nishikawa
    Department of Internal Medicine, Hirata Central Hospital
    Department of Internal Medicine, Kawauchi Village National Health Insurance Clinic
    Department of Health Informatics, Kyoto University School of Public Health
  • Fumiya Oguro
    Department of Internal Medicine, Hirata Central Hospital
  • Nobuaki Moriyama
    Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine
  • Keiichiro Sato
    Seireikai Home Nursing Station Hirata
  • Yurie Kobashi
    Department of Internal Medicine, Hirata Central Hospital
    Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine
  • Toyoaki Sawano
    Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine
    Department of Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation
  • Akihiko Ozaki
    Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation
  • Takeo Nakayama
    Department of Health Informatics, Kyoto University School of Public Health
  • Masaharu Tsubokura
    Department of Internal Medicine, Hirata Central Hospital
    Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine
  • Seiji Yasumura
    Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine
  • Shohei Sakai
    Hirata Rehabilitation Care Center

Introduction

Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) aims to enable older adults with disabilities and their families to continue living in their own homes1) CBR is categorized into home-visit rehabilitation, in which therapists visit patients, and outpatient rehabilitation, in which patients visit facilities for treatment2) Adequate access to rehabilitative treatment is important for preventive care, maintenance of physical and mental functions, and enabling patients to live in their preferred community.

Both patient-related and circumstantial factors affect access to CBR. Patient-related factors, including the aging process itself, fracture, and dementia, commonly cause increased long-term care needs3) Additionally, circumstances related to geographical distance and lack of healthcare resources in rural areas affect rehabilitation access4-6)

Nuclear disasters significantly complicate CBR access. In addition to circumstantial difficulties, evacuation and repopulation contribute to the aging of the area’s population and reduced social interaction7,8) Several studies have reported on medical care provision in communities after nuclear disasters9-14) Although few, these reports have emphasized the importance of securing CBR in resource-scarce areas.

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