Adherence to outpatient care among individuals with pre-existing psychiatric disorders following the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake: A retrospective study.

Abstract

Aim: The study aim was to investigate the effect of the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake on regular psychiatric outpatient check-ups at Kanazawa Medical University Hospital, Japan.

Methods: We retrospectively collected electronic medical records from January 4 to January 17, 2024, and analyzed data from 656 patients. χ ² was used to analyze the association between adherence to scheduled visits and related factors, and the association between inability to attend scheduled visits and self-reported earthquake-related reasons among 84 nonadherent patients. A geographical information system was used to analyze geographic characteristics, such as municipality of residence and seismic intensity distribution.

Results: Of the 656 patients, 572 (87.2%) adhered to their scheduled visits. The failure to keep appointments was significantly associated with residence in areas with a seismic intensity of ≥6 (n = 21, 35.6%; p < 0.001). Among the 84 patients who failed to keep appointments, the inability to keep appointments owing to earthquake-related reasons was significantly associated with residence in areas with a seismic intensity of ≥6 (n = 16, 76.2%; p < 0.001) and presence of an F3 main disease code: Mood (affective) according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (n = 12, 60.0%; p = 0.034).

Conclusion: Patients in areas with higher seismic intensity were more likely to miss appointments, probably because of factors such as infrastructure damage and personal losses. Among patients who missed appointments, those with F3 diagnoses were more likely to cite earthquake-related reasons. However, the high overall appointment adherence rate despite the effects of a major earthquake warrants further study.