Pre-disaster family visits and post-evacuation return to Fukushima among psychiatric inpatients evacuated to out-of-area hospitals after the nuclear accident.

This study investigates the impact of pre-evacuation family hospital visits on the timing of psychiatric inpatients' return to Fukushima Prefecture following mandatory evacuation due to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Analyzing 44 psychiatric inpatients evacuated from Fukushima, the study found that those who received family visits before evacuation tended to return to their hometown earlier than those without such visits. The findings suggest that family involvement prior to disaster evacuation may facilitate collaboration between families and medical staff, supporting patients' community reintegration and timely return. The study highlights the importance of ongoing cooperation between psychiatric practitioners and families in both routine care and disaster response, while noting limitations including retrospective data and a small sample size.