Abstract
Background: A coalmine disaster has occurred in Turkey on 13 May 2014, which caused the death of 301 miners. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and the risk factors for PTSD among mine workers, 2 years after the coalmining disaster. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey conducted between June 2016 and July 2016 among mine workers who were the employees of either the mine where the accident occurred or three other mines in the same area. Sociodemographic data form and PTSD Symptom-Scale Self-Report (PSS-SR) were used to collect data. Results: 672 mine workers participated in the study. At the time of the accident, 23.7% (n = 159) of them were in the mine where the accident occurred. The mean score on total PSS-SR was 4.27 (SD: ±4.49). Eighteen (2.7%) participants screened positive for PTSD. Logistic regression analysis revealed the significant risk factors for PTSD are: being single/divorced/widowed, having a chronic disease, having a family history of psychiatric illness and previously experiencing traumatic events more than one. Discussion: Coalmining workers have considerably high prevalence rate of PTSD symptoms after a coalmining disaster. Assessing PTSD and associated risks is important for preventive mental health services.
Highlights
Occupational health and safety is a global concern, with millions of people getting injured or losing their lives owing to work accidents every year[1]
We demonstrated that the participants who had more than one traumatic experience were 24 times more likely to be positive for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms compared to those without these experiences
Paired analyses conducted with the data obtained in the present study revealed that, among those who screened positive for PTSD symptoms, there was no difference associated with physical injury or death of one of the family members or relatives
Summary
Occupational health and safety is a global concern, with millions of people getting injured or losing their lives owing to work accidents every year[1]. The rate of occupational accidents in Turkey is relatively high, it has considerably decreased over the past four decades. According to the data of the International Labor Organization for Turkey (ILO), approximately 700-1,700 people have lost their lives every year since 1995 because of work accidents. Underground coal mining is among top-ranking occupations in terms of deaths and accidents per worker[3]. The fatal occupational injury rate in underground coal mining has been six times higher than that in all private industry[4]. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and the risk factors for PTSD among mine workers, 2 years after the coalmining disaster. Discussion: Coalmining workers have considerably high prevalence rate of PTSD symptoms after a coalmining disaster. Assessing PTSD and associated risks is important for preventive mental health services
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