May risk communication with non-experts contribute to post-disaster restoration of normalcy? A survey on the disaster-struck prefectures after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Post-disaster risk communication's primary goal is to restore a sense of normalcy for residents who have faced hardships. The Fukushima and Miyagi prefectural residents who experienced severe damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake were the participants (men = 257, women = 296, age = 58.40 ± 14.85) of this study, which investigated a mediation model of effective risk communication on restoring a sense of normalcy. The characteristics of risk communication that contribute positively to the restoration of normalcy were investigated along with effective intermediary factors such as behavioral changes and self-efficacy. Positive effects in risk communication with medical professionals were observed as indirect benefits in changes to health behaviors; however, they were not observed in the form of direct or overall effects. In contrast, risk communication with family, friends, and acquaintances affected post-disaster restoration of normalcy in direct and indirect ways. It is obvious that an important portion of risk communication is based on the premise of the information provided by experts. However, our results revealed that RC with family, friends, and acquaintances that did not necessarily involve experts was more important for arriving at the ultimate goal of restoring daily life. • We focus on restoration of normalcy as the primary objective of risk communication. • The restoration of normalcy consisted of four subcategories. • Risk communication with in-group members affected the restoration of normalcy. • Risk communication with medical experts affected regaining normalcy indirectly.