Health-related quality of life 1 year after a large-scale industrial fire among exposed inhabitants of Rouen, France: 'The Post Fire 76 Health' study.

BACKGROUND: A large-scale industrial fire occurred in Rouen, France, in 2019. This study assessed the health-related quality of life of people exposed to its consequences 1 year later. METHODS: The study population comprised inhabitants of the exposed area and a non-exposed area. A representative sample was randomly selected using a stratified design. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire to describe fire exposure and to calculate three health-related quality of life scores according to the SF12-v2 scale. After adjustment, descriptive and multivariate analyses were conducted. RESULTS: The sample comprised 4773 participants (response rate 47.7%). In the exposed area, the average mental, physical and overall health scores were 47.5, 52.0 and 73.8 out of 100, respectively. Mean mental and overall health scores were higher in the non-exposed area (49.0 and 76.0, respectively). After adjustment, a lower mental health score was associated with a higher number of perceived types of exposure, reaching -3.72 points [-5.41; -2.04] for five or more different types of perceived exposure. A lower mental health score was associated with soot deposits (-1.04 [-1.70; -0.39]), perceiving odours [(-2.04 [-3.22; -0.86]) up to the day of data collection], and having seen, heard or been awakened by the fire (-1.21 [-1.90; -0.52]). A slightly lower physical health score was associated with soot deposits (-0.57 [-1.07; -0.08]). CONCLUSION: This study highlighted associations between exposure to the consequences of the industrial fire in Rouen and a deterioration of perceived health-related quality of life 1 year later, particularly the mental health dimension.

Relationship Between Dynamic Changes in Body Weight and Blood Pressure: The ESTEBAN Survey.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is one of the main determinants of blood pressure. The aim of this study was to evaluate and quantify the relations between the different anthropometric indices and blood pressure (BP) stratified by gender. METHODS: Cross-sectional analyses were performed using data from 2,105 adults from the ESTEBAN survey, a representative sample of the French population. Partial Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between BP and anthropometric indices. Regressions were adjusted on age, antihypertensive therapies, socioeconomic levels, dietary intakes, and cardiovascular risk factors. A weight variation index, as adjusted weight variation/year, was calculated as (weight maximum - weight minimum) / (age of weight max - age of weight min). This index was adjusted on the BMI reported during the inclusion and time elapsed since weight variation from the moment of inclusion. RESULTS: In the Esteban population stratified by gender, this weight index had the highest r-value of correlation with all BP parameters compared with all anthropometric indices (WC, WHR, WHtR) in both genders. In men, weight variation more than +1 kg/year is associated with 5.5 mm Hg increase in systolic BP and with 1.8 mm Hg increase in diastolic BP. In women, more than +1 kg/year is associated with 3.3 mm Hg increase in systolic BP and with 1.0 mm Hg increase in diastolic BP. CONCLUSION: A dynamic view of body weight change appears more predictive in BP change than a static view expressed by BMI. Public health initiatives to maintain a youthful body weight during life course are majors to prevent hypertension. REGISTRATION: The study was registered in the French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety (no. 2012-A00456-34) and was approved by the Advisory Committee for Protection of Persons in Biomedical Research.

One year after mild injury: comparison of health status and quality of life between patients with whiplash versus other injuries.

OBJECTIVE: To compare health status, effect on family, occupational consequences, and quality of life (QOL) 1 year after an accident between patients with whiplash versus other mild injuries, and to explore the relationship between initial injury (whiplash vs other) and QOL. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study. The study used data from the ESPARR cohort (a representative cohort of road accident victims) and included 173 individuals with "pure" whiplash and 207 with other mild injuries. QOL at 1-year followup was assessed on the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire. Correlations between explanatory variables and QOL were explored by Poisson regression to provide adjusted relative risks, with ANOVA for the various QOL scores explored. RESULTS: One year post-accident, more patients who had whiplash than other casualties complained of nonrecovery of health status (56% vs 43%) and of the occupational effect of pain (31% vs 23%). QOL and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were similar in the 2 groups. Impaired QOL did not correlate with whiplash when models were adjusted on sociodemographic variables and history of psychological distress. Whatever the initial lesion, PTSD was a determining factor for poorer QOL. CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic factors, preaccident psychological history prior to the accident, and PTSD were the main factors influencing QOL, rather than whether the injury was whiplash. PTSD may also be related to pain.