ABSTRACT
A cross-sectional survey for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was conducted with 234 Brazilian ambulance workers (180 men and 54 women) using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version, and the Short Form Health Survey-36. Current prevalence rates for full and partial PTSD were 5.6% (men = 6.7%, women = 1.9%) and 15% (men = 13.3%, women = 20.4%), respectively. Male workers with full PTSD were more likely to be nonmarried (75% vs. 43%) and those with partial PTSD reported more emotional problems (65.2% vs. 30%) and medical visits (67% vs. 44%) than the controls. Workers with PTSD showed impairment in the physical and mental domains of the SF-36, whereas workers with partial PTSD had only the later compromised. The characteristics and the level of exposure to trauma of the study population may account for the low prevalence of PTSD.
Subject(s)
Ambulances , Emergency Medical Technicians/psychology , Health Status , Military Personnel/psychology , Occupational Diseases/diagnosis , Quality of Life/psychology , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/diagnosis , Adult , Affective Symptoms/diagnosis , Affective Symptoms/epidemiology , Affective Symptoms/psychology , Brazil , Cross-Sectional Studies , Emergency Medical Technicians/statistics & numerical data , Health Surveys , Humans , Male , Military Personnel/statistics & numerical data , Occupational Diseases/epidemiology , Occupational Diseases/psychology , Personality Inventory , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/epidemiology , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychologyABSTRACT
O artigo se propõe a discutir os fundamentos teóricos que compõem o diagnóstico de encefalopatia crônica relacionada a solventes no campo da saúde mental do trabalhador, propondo-o como um objeto de pesquisa desse campo. São apresentados postulados da psiquiatria, da neurologia e da saúde do trabalhador que contribuem para a elaboração pluridisciplinar dessa categoria diagnóstica.
Subject(s)
Humans , Brain Damage, Chronic , Neurotoxicity Syndromes , Occupational Diseases , Occupational Exposure , Solvents , Occupational Health ServicesABSTRACT
The article is aimed at discussing the theoretical grounds which support the diagnosis of solvent-related chronic encephalopathy in the field of the worker's mental health, having it as a target in this area. The psychiatric, neurological and labor health postulates which contribute to the multidisciplinary description of such diagnostic category are presented.
