Psychological Risk Factors for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Workers After Toxic Chemical Spill in Gumi, South Korea

Abstract

The extent and severity of the psychological effects following chemical release disasters have not been widely reported. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of hydrogen fluoride (HF)-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to identify associated psychological risk factors. On September 2012, an estimated 8 to 12 tons of HF gas, which dissolves in air moisture to form droplets of corrosive hydrofluoric acid, escaped from an industrial complex in Gumi, South Korea. Ten months later, structured questionnaires that included items from the Impacts of Event Scale (revised Korean version) as well as questions about demographic and psychological risk factors related to PTSD were distributed to workers in the affected area. The prevalence rate of PTSD was 5.7%. The odds of PTSD in non-alcohol-dependent workers (odds ratio [OR] = 3.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.27, 7.60]) was significantly higher than in alcohol-independent workers. The OR for PTSD in workers with anxiety (OR = 7.63, 95% CI = [2.10, 27.71) was significantly higher than the OR workers without anxiety. The odds of PTSD in workers with high perceived stress scale (PSS) scores (OR = 8.72, 95 % CI = [2.29, 33.16]) was significantly higher than for workers with low PSS. Alcohol dependence, psychiatric symptoms at the time of the event, anxiety, and high PSS were associated with HF-related PTSD. Long-term employee assistance programs are needed to assist occupational health nurses and clinicians to reduce PTSD after industrial disasters.

Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder and associated factors among Koshe landslide survivors, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a community-based, cross-sectional study

“…The possible explanation might be the inheritance of the serotonin transporter gene as well as genes associated with the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and psychological factors which make participants more highly predisposed to PTSD 42 45. This finding was consistent with the results of studies conducted in South Korea 43 44…”

“…Participants who had high perceived stress were more likely to develop PTSD compared with respondents who had low perceived stress. The result is similar with findings from Southern Israel and South Korea 43 48. Negative beliefs about the consequence of the ongoing threat as damaging implications will precipitate the onset and persistence of PTSD 49…”

“…As a result, they might be prone to develop PTSD after the event. This finding was supported by results of studies conducted in various countries 31 34 39 43 44…”

The Prevalence of Psychological Status During the COVID-19 Epidemic in China: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…However, the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms did not improve with the control of the epidemic, but still stayed at a high level, which was significantly higher than the average level of anxiety and depression according to the results from meta-analyses on prevalence of depression and anxiety in Chinese general population before the COVID-19 epidemic (Baxter et al, 2016 ; Guo et al, 2016 ; Wang et al, 2017 ). Previous studies found that anxiety and depression are risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Grekin and O'hara, 2014 ; Song et al, 2018 ). Thus, the continued high prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms during an epidemic may account for the elevated risk of long-term psychological problems (such as PTSD).…”

Occupational post-traumatic stress disorder: an updated systematic review

“…Among injured workers who survived after a major factory collapse in Bangladesh, those employees who worked 70 h a week (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.4; 1.1-5.3), had a concussion injury (aOR = 3.7; 1.4-9.8), and were married (aOR = 3.2; 1.3-8.0) [14] had an increased risk of developing PTSD. After an industrial explosion, the risk factors of PTSD among the nearby workers included trauma, history of mental disorder or occurrence of psychiatric symptoms at the time of the event [15,16], proximity to explosion site, nonmanagerial occupation, age over 50 years in both sex, layoffs (aOR = 2.6; 1.5-4.5), and unusable workplace after the explosion (aOR = 1.8; 1.1-2.8) in men [17]. A Canadian study evaluating the health of urban public transit employees after experiencing traumatic events at the workplace indicated difference in PTSD severity according to the severity of depression, gender, ethnicity, and workplace stress [18].…”