Psychological, Physical and Behavioral Health of Adults, 3 Years After Exposure to a Train Derailment. (September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maltais, Danielle; Généreux, Mélissa; Roy, Mathieu; Fortin, Geneviève; Pouliot, Eve; Bergeron-Leclerc, Christiane; Cherblanc, Jacques; Labra, Oscar; Lachance, Lise; Paquette, Linda
• Is Part Of: Inquiry. Volume 59(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-09
• Subjects: technological disaster -- train derailment -- post-disaster mental health -- post-traumatic stress disorder -- post-traumatic growth -- drinking patterns; Medical policy -- United States -- Periodicals; Medical care, Cost of -- United States -- Periodicals; Hospitalization insurance -- United States -- Periodicals; 362.10973
• DOI: 10.1177/00469580221125765
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0046-9580

Abstract

In July 2013, a train derailment profoundly disrupted the tranquility of the population of Lac-Mégantic for months and even years. In 2016, we conducted a representative population-based survey among 387 people from Lac-Mégantic and 413 from other municipalities with the aim to document psychological and physical health of adults exposed to the disaster. This article examines differences between 3 groups of respondents: those who were highly, moderately or not exposed to the train accident. Khi Square analyses, odds ratios and logistic regressions were used to examine differences between the 3 groups of respondents (high, moderate and no exposure). Results show that the level of exposure to this technological disaster is strongly associated with psychological suffering, post-traumatic growth, physical heath, drinking patterns, and use of prescribed and non-prescribed drugs. We can explain these results by the nature and cause of the event as well as its consequences.