Mental health needs associated with COVID-19 on the diamond princess cruise ship: A case series recorded by the disaster psychiatric assistance team

Hirokazu Tachikawa; Tatsuhiko Kubo; Sayaka Gomei; Sho Takahashi; Yuzuru Kawashima; Kazunori Manaka; Akira Mori; Hisayoshi Kondo; Yuichi Koido; Hiromi Ishikawa; Taku Otsuru; Wataru Nogi

doi:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103250

Mental health needs associated with COVID-19 on the diamond princess cruise ship: A case series recorded by the disaster psychiatric assistance team

Int J Disaster Risk Reduct. 2022 Oct 15:81:103250. doi: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103250. Epub 2022 Aug 20.

Authors

Hirokazu Tachikawa¹, Tatsuhiko Kubo², Sayaka Gomei^{3

4}, Sho Takahashi¹, Yuzuru Kawashima^{4

5}, Kazunori Manaka⁶, Akira Mori⁷, Hisayoshi Kondo⁵, Yuichi Koido⁵, Hiromi Ishikawa⁸, Taku Otsuru⁹, Wataru Nogi^{4

10}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Disaster and Community Psychiatry, University of Tsukuba, Japan.
² Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
³ Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Japan.
⁴ DPAT Secretariat, Tokyo, Japan.
⁵ National Hospital Organization Headquarter DMAT Secretariat, Tokyo, Japan.
⁶ Ibaraki Prefectural Medical Center of Psychiatry, Ibaraki, Japan.
⁷ Asai Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
⁸ Japan Medical Association, Hiroshima, Japan.
⁹ National Hospital Organization, Ryukyu Hospital, Japan.
¹⁰ Bifukai Hamadera Hospital, Osaka, Japan.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection prevention measures have led to a variety of mental health issues. Although several self-care methods have been recommended for those quarantined, evidence regarding how best to support quarantined people experiencing a mental health crisis is limited. In February 2020, the Diamond Princess cruise ship was quarantined in Yokohama port, Japan following a passenger testing positive for COVID-19. We were sent to address the mental health issues as the Disaster Psychiatric Assistance Team (DPAT). In the present study, we examined the acute mental health needs of the passengers and crew collected by the DPAT using the standard Emergency Medical Team daily reporting system. We assessed 206 cases (99 men and 107 women) with generic health issues and 127 cases (39 men and 88 women) with mental health issues. Mental health issues including disaster stress-related symptoms were as frequent as physical health events associated with COVID-19. The most significant mental health issue was anxiety, as an acute psychological reaction to the quarantine situation. Women and crews most frequently needed mental health support. Mental health improved in most clients after brief counseling. Although several passengers experienced suicidal ideation, there were no cases of actual suicide attempts during the quarantine period. This case has been regarded as a well-known public health event at the beginning of the COVID-19 era. In addition to physical health support, disaster mental health support was essential to save lives. Our findings may facilitate responses to future quarantines, accidents, and mental health crises.

Keywords: COVID-19; COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; DPAT; DPAT, Disaster Psychiatric Assistance Team; Diamond Princess; Mental health needs; Quarantine.