Psychotropic drug use in a cohort of workers 4 years after an industrial disaster in France.

Two years after the 2001 Toulouse industrial disaster, a longitudinal study was set up to evaluate the impact of the disaster. The current substudy examines the medium-term impact (5 years) the incident had on the mental health of 3,004 participants. As part of the monitoring, data relating to the psychotropic drug use of 2,494 participants were collected from administrative databases 4 years after the disaster. Use of psychotropics was higher among women for anxiolytics (10.4% for men and 15.0% for women), hypnotics (10.5% and 17.0%), and antidepressants (7.6% and 11.2%). Exposure to the disaster, especially proximity to the exposure, was significantly associated with the use of antidepressants in men, OR = 3.22, 95% CI[1.57, 6.61]. This was also the case for other exposure factors (saw dead or injury, injured, home damage, death or injury loved one, psychological disorders, exposure toxic fumes): range of OR 1.75 to 2.52 in men, 1.48 to 1.62 in women. In conclusion, this study highlights the medium-term psychological impact of an industrial disaster on psychotropic drug use and the potential for using medical records data as a means for tracking postdisaster mental health.

Weight changes in overweight children enrolled in a therapeutic education program.

BACKGROUND: Between 2016 and 2018, overweight children in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France were invited to participate in the Tout sur l'EQuilibre Alimentaire et l'Activité Physique (TEQAAP; All About Balanced Eating and Physical Activity) education program offered by the Structure d'Expertise Régionale Obésité Occitanie (SEROO; Regional Expert Center for Obesity in Occitanie). OBJECTIVES: To describe the patient population and evaluate the program efficacy. The primary criterion was the body mass index (BMI) Z-score of the patients at the end of the program compared to the beginning. METHODS: This retrospective, descriptive, and analytical study included 262 children (mean age: 10 years+10 months; 64% female) between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2018. Data from 138 patients (52.7%) were accessible and analyzed. The mean study duration was 9 months. RESULTS: The mean BMI at inclusion was 23.3 kg/m² with a mean Z-score of 2.8 ± 0.6; 82% were overweight, 11.1% were obese, and 6.1% were normal weight. Socioeconomic categories were well-balanced (35% high, 28% intermediate, 37% low). At the end of the study, 87% of the children had improved or stabilized their BMI, and Z-scores were lower by 9%±2 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The TEQAAP program led to an improvement in the BMI of overweight children.

Mental health of workers in Toulouse 2 years after the industrial AZF disaster: first results of a longitudinal follow-up of 3,000 people.

INTRODUCTION: On September 21, 2001, the AZF petrochemical factory near Toulouse (France) exploded. A cross-sectional survey of Toulouse workers took place in 2002 and then, a cohort follow-up began in 2003. The aim of this paper is to study the associations between various factors describing exposure to the disaster, and anxiety and depressive symptoms, assessed at cohort inclusion 2 years afterwards. METHODS: In 2003, 3,006 people were included in the cohort. Psychological distress was measured by the GHQ28 at inclusion. Factors related to exposure to the disaster, such as personal distance from the site, physical injury, immediate psychological symptoms, and material and social effects, came from the 2002 cross-sectional survey. The links between mental health symptoms and exposure were studied in multivariate analyses by logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of psychological distress was 47% at inclusion in the cohort. It varied according to sex and occupational class: blue-collar workers and self-employed people were most highly affected. Factors such as a history of depression, injury to a close friend or family member, sick-leaves and immediate psychological symptoms were associated with psychological distress 2 years later. These associations differed according to sex. CONCLUSION: This study shows links between the industrial disaster and psychological distress 2 years afterwards. The results about risk factors differ according to sex, and identify particularly vulnerable populations. It should guide preventive interventions in such situation.