Prevalence and occupational covariates of mood, anxiety disorders, and alcohol dependence in a French ancillary staff population

The aim of this study was to confirm the high prevalence of three frequent psychiatric disorders, anxiety, depressive illnesses, and alcohol dependenc e among ancillary staff, and to examine for occupational risk factors. Two hundred and forty-six women were randomly selected from the ancillary staff of the regional hospital centre of Bordeaux, and 186 subjects were intervi ewed between June 1996 and October 1997. First, a self-administrated questi onnaire was completed concerning socio-economic status, lifestyle, health, and working conditions. Second, the two sections of the composite internati onal diagnosis interview (CIDI), devoted to explore anxiety and depression, and the short Michigan alcoholism screening test (S-MAST) were used. Mean age of the subjects was 40.8 years (SD = 8.3 years). During the year p receding the interview, 77 (42.5%) subjects had stopped their job because o f illness. Prevalence of the psychiatric disorders studied was 33.9% (95% c onfidence interval, 27.1-40.7%). These disorders were related to sickness a bsence. This is why the use of drugs raises questions for work physicians. Two protective factors associated against depression in logistic regression analysis were found : training at the time of employment, and the task 'cl eaning sickroom'. A high prevalence of psychiatric disorders was confirmed and occupational r isk factors for the prevalence of increased psychiatric disorders were isol ated that could have practical consequences, such as for the training at ti me of employment. (C) 1999 Elsevier, Paris.