INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING MASS PSYCHOGENIC ILLNESS IN EMPLOYEES IN A FISH-PACKING PLANT

This study of the factors affecting the development of mass psychogeni c illness (MPI) was carried out in a large fish-packing plant in New B runswick, Canada. A total of 269 out of 270 plant employees (99.6%) pa rticipated in the study and of these, 208 cases were affected with sym ptoms of MPI and 61 controls were unaffected over a period of 2 1/2 mo nths. A questionnaire was administered to participating employees to c ollect information about symptoms, demographic factors, work history, pre-existing medical problems, potential workplace triggering exposure factors, and various psychosocial factors. Multiple logistic regressi on indicated that the main factors associate with MPI, in decreasing o rder of importance, were skill creation in the job, odor perception, a nd female sex. Management of this incident required reassurance of emp loyees that there was no hazardous exposure in the plant as well as re cognition of the need to reduce underlying sources of stress in the wo rk environment. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.