Resilience Among Japanese

Atomic Bomb Survivors

Amy Knowles, PhD, RN, MPH, CIC, COHN-S

Background and Significance

August 6,1945

Little Boy

August 9,1945

Fat Man

Unprecedented destruction

Potential threat for nuclear attack

Research Design

A qualitative, descriptive study

Narrative Analysis and Oral History

Research Questions: 1) What was the experience of surviving an atomic bomb release?

2) For participants in utero, what stories were they told about the event?

3) What impact did the atomic bombing have on survivors?

Data collected in San Francisco, CA

Participants (n=8)

Name/Pseudonym Gender Age Age ATB Location

Ms. Seiko Fujimoto Female 67 3 years Hiroshima

Mr. Yonokura* Male 64 8 months Nagasaki

Ms. Eda* Female 62 In utero Hiroshima

Mr. Takeshi Thomas

Tanemori

Male 71 7 years Hiroshima

Mr. Grant Fujita Male 68 5 years Hiroshima

Mr. Jack Dairiki Male 78 14 years Hiroshima

Ms. Sonoko Brown Female 71 7 years Hiroshima

Mr. Makoto Ota Male 78 14 years Hiroshima

Leiningers Sunrise Enabler

Cultural Context

Kinship and Social

Language (metaphors, sensory

descriptions)

Worldview

Educational

Religious and Philosophical

Cultural values and lifeways

Political and Legal

Economic and Technological

Resilience

Surviving perspective1945

Anxiety

Stigma

Mistrust

Overcoming

Forgiving

Peace Activism

Cultural Context

Destruction

Thriving perspective2009

Destruction: Physical

The four square miles of the city of Hiroshima turned into an inferno.

(Mr. Tanemori)

Everything destroyed. Nothing there. (Ms. Brown)

We were told that for 50 years, we wouldnt have anything in Hiroshima. (Ms. Eda)

A total scene of hell, if there is a scene. (Mr. Dairki)

Physical Destruction on

Individual Level I started getting some blisters from

my burns. (Mr. Ota)

I was so skinny, I could not even move. (Mr. Fujita)

I remember a lot of worms on my legsyes, worms because of the flies. They would lay eggs on my legs. They would eat so many things. At first, they eat up the pus, and I dont feel anything. But, they started eating my flesh, oh boy, I screamed. I remember. (Ms. Brown)

Destruction: Psychosocial

It was hush-hushso we didnt talk about it. (Mr. Yonokura)

And even til this day, I can not take the guilt of surviving. (Ms. Fujimoto)

I [was] injured so much, so people stare at mewhen I was young, really truly, I suffered. (Ms. Brown)

We are the ones carrying the heavy burdenIf people died, sure its hard, but no suffering there. (Ms. Fujimoto)

I attempted suicide, and I failed. (Mr. Tanemori)

Surviving

The ability to exist, despite adverse conditions.

Strong association to past orientation.

Routinely live with memories of bombing, exhibit signs of anxiety, mistrust, and focus

on stigma

Anxiety

Even now, when my kids get sick, I think about it. (Mr. Yonokura)

I really, didnt want my daughter to have a baby. Til I see it I could notyou know, easy feeling. Is he okay? Is she okay? How its going to work. Now he looks so healthy, but is he really well? Those kinds of fears, I dont think you can take that away. (Ms. Fujimoto)

Stigma

There was prejudice against the survivors. Instead of sympathy or compassion, they avoided us.

(Mr. Yonokura)

Some people who are survivorsthey get kind of prejudice because they dont know what is survivors, or survivors sickness. They think it kind of contaminates through touching or through marrying.

(Ms. Eda)

But I can relate it with AIDS[they said] Why dont you go home [describing phone call she received when her son was sick, in the time when the AIDS epidemic was just beginning and people were worried about contagion]. (Ms. Fujimoto)

Mistrust

We dont know! Because nobody tell us whats gonna happen. (Ms. Fujimoto)

In spite of the assurance the US government has been giving us, they still dont know what to do [regarding nuclear waste disposal].

(Mr. Yonokura)

Thriving

The ability to prosper or flourish, despite adverse conditions.

Present or future orientation, often hopeful.

Possess traits of overcoming, forgiveness, and focus on peace activism.

Overcoming

I went through a experience, but still, I can talk about it and laugh about it now. (Mr. Fujita)

I just tried to lead a normal lifeI felt I had to make my own life, and I do the best I can. And that is the way I approached everything. (Mr. Ota)

I say the past is the past. The only thing you have to deal with is the future. You dont, you know, take with you everything from yesterday, or 10 years ago. So you know, I went through a lot. I lost the whole family, my wife passed away because of leukemia. But like I say, they are gone and I am here. (Mr. Fujita)

Forgiveness

Learning to forgive, that is the greatest gift I have found. Its a relationship I find with the Divinewe can choose to forgive; the ultimate

demonstration of love is forgiveness. (Mr. Tanemori)

Peace Activism

I personally dont want any other human to have to go through what I went through. Mine is enough. So thats one reason, you know, thats the main reason I tell you my story. (Mr. Fujita)

We just hope and try to get the message out that the atomic bomb is just horrible, its just like a poison gasand its really sad that they cant realize the harm they do. (Mr. Dairiki)

I would not want anyone to go through what we went throughIt was a pretty horrible experience. (Mr. Ota)

Acknowledgements Funding grant by Sigma Theta Tau Gamma Chi chapter

Gatekeepers:o Dr Kazuo Neriishi, Radiation Effects Research Foundation

o Ms. Geri Handa, Friends of Hibakusha

Questions?

For further information:

Amy Knowles PhD, RN, MPH

Assistant Professor, King College

alknowles@king.edu