MENTAL-HEALTH DETERIORATION AMONG WORKERS EXPOSED TO STYRENE

Emotional instability which might be an early symptom of more severe d isorders, is one of the first manifestations of chronic exposure to or ganic solvents. The present study measures the association between exp osure to styrene and mood states of active workers. A total of 128 wor kers (85% of the total population) from 3 factories where styrene is u sed, participated on a voluntary basis. They filled out the following self-administered questionnaires Profile of Mood States (POMS), Psychi atric Symptom Index and Well-being Index. The results indicate a signi ficant relationship between post work-shift urinary mandelic acid (bio logical indicator of styrene exposure) and the scores obtained on the POMS scales of tension-anxiety (Spearman's rank correlation rho = 0.30 ; p<0.01), anger-hostility (rho = 0.29; p<0.01), fatigue-inertie (rho = 0.34; p<0.01), and confusion-bewilderment (rho = 0.23; p = 0.04), as well as the Psychological Distress Index (rho = 0.30; p<0.01). All sc ores were adjusted for the effects of 4 potentially confounding variab les : age, schooling, alcohol and cigarette consumption. These indicat ors of mood states do not constitute a diagnosis of mental disease but reveal progressive deterioration of well being associated with neurot oxic exposure in the workplace.