Ann Occup Environ Med.
2017 ;29(1):40. 10.1186/s40557-017-0196-6.
Psychological effects of a disastrous hydrogen fluoride spillage on the local community
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Gumi Hospital, 179, Gongdan 1-dong, Gumi-si, Gyeongbuk 730-706 South Korea. justicebear@hanmail.net.
- 2Department of Preventive Medicine, Soonchunhyang University School of Medicine, 23-20, Bongmyeong-dong, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do 330-721 South Korea.
- 3Department of Preventive Medicine, Dongguk University College of Medicine, 87 Dongdae-ro, Seokjang-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongbuk 780-350 South Korea.
- 4Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Medical Center, 27, Dongguk-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do South Korea.
- 5Department of Occupational Health, Catholic University of Daegu, Hayang-Ro 13-13, Hayang-Eup, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk South Korea.
- KMID: 2455018
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-017-0196-6
Abstract
- BACKGROUND
On September 27, 2012, at 3:43 pm, a hydrogen fluoride spill occurred in a manufacturing plant located at the 4th complex of the Gumi National Industrial Complex in Gumi City, South Korea. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychological effects of the hydrogen fluoride spill on the members of the community and to investigate their relationships with physical symptoms and changes in psychological effects occurring as time passed after the accident.
METHODS
The 1st phase involved a survey of 1359 individuals that was conducted 1 month after the spill, and the 2nd phase involved a survey of 711 individuals that was conducted 7 months after the accident. The questionnaires included items for assessing demographic characteristics, hydrogen fluoride exposure level, physical symptoms, and psychological status. Physical symptoms were assessed to determine the persistence of irritations. Psychological status was assessed to investigate the impact of event level using the Impact of Event Scale - Revised Korean version (IES-R-K), and the anxiety level was assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).
RESULTS
As the hydrogen fluoride exposure level increased, the impact of event and anxiety levels increased significantly both 1 and 7 months after the accident (p < 0.05). The mean score of the impact of event levels decreased significantly from 33.33 ± 14.64 at 1 month after the accident to 28.68 ± 11.80 at 7 months after the accident (p < 0.05). The mean score of the anxiety levels increased significantly from 5.16 ± 6.59 at 1 month after the accident to 6.79 ± 8.41 at 7 months after the accident (p < 0.05). The risk of persistent physical symptoms at 7 months after the accident was significantly higher in females. The risk of persistent physical symptoms also increased significantly, with increasing age, hydrogen fluoride exposure, and impact of event levels (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
The present study found that the impact of event level and anxiety level increased with increasing hydrogen fluoride exposure. Anxiety levels persisted even after time passed. The risk of persistent physical symptoms at 7 months after the accident was higher in females, and it increased with increasing age, hydrogen fluoride exposure level, and impact of event levels.
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