Impact on the workplace and socioeconomic conditions were associated with S-PTSD. The epidemiological approach in disaster situations needs to be improved, particularly in the social and occupational dimension when economically active populations are involved. Vulnerable subgroups, defined by occupational impact and low socioeconomic category, should be taken into account.

In the population living near the site of an industrial explosion, individual vulnerability, exposure and post-trauma factors were associated with depressive symptoms. All three sets of factors need to be taken into account when planning a response to a disaster and reducing the psychological aftermath.

The disappointing therapeutic results observed in the management of arterial hypertension do not arise only from poor application of guidelines by general practitioners. Reluctance to rely on blood pressure measurements, a perception that guidelines are revised frequently and are not always clear, and consideration of the general practitioner's activity in the patient's specific context are the main factors involved.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (S-PTSD) in police personnel involved in rescue operations after the AZF chemical plant explosion in Toulouse, France, on September 21, 2001, and the relationship between S-PTSD and the type of rescue operation.Design: A cross-sectional survey was performed, using a mailed questionnaire.Participants: Six hundred and thirty-five out of 1,500 rescue operations police officers participated in the study. All were involved with the explosion site after the industrial disaster.Main outcome measure: The outcome variable was the presence of S-PTSD.The explanatory variables were the level of exposure during the rescue tasks.Statistics: Logistic regression was used to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (OR).Results: The prevalence of S-PTSD among policemen was 4.1 percent [95% CI: 2.1-6.2]. Policemen who had immediate health consequences (OR 4.6; [95% CI: 1.3-16.4]) and those who provided medical assistance to the victims (OR 5.7; [95% CI: 1.6-20.2]) had a higher prevalence of S-PTSD.Conclusions: Providing medical assistance to the victims was a major risk factor of S-PTSD for police officers. Training police officers to take part in medical activities at the time of the disaster might lead to a reduction of SPTSD incidence in this group.