An investigation was conducted by means of questionnaires changes in wearing habits overtime for female sufferers of the Great Hanshin Earthquake. The questionnaires were conducted in July, 1995 (204 sufferers) and in January, 1996 (104 sufferers) for the purposes of obtaining reference materials for risk management of clothing and documentation of the situations of sufferers. The results are as follows :
The greater the people suffered, the less clothing they wore, including wearing only a nightgown or wearing an additional coat or sweater, and wearing slippers going barefoot at the time of their escape. On the night of the disaster, 28% of the victims used nightwear compared to the previous night. This figure rose to 53.9% 1 month later. Recovery from what was slowest for aged men. As for bedding, the greatest sufferers had to make do with only a blanket for a long time. Six months after the earthquake, 75% of the sufferers began to take interest in their dress.
After a result of the research, the necessity of education in the areas of risk management of clothing and survival skills became apparent. Now the task remains for the establishment of improved rescue and information relay systems.