A descriptive study of a specialized worker's psychological trauma program

BACKGROUND

Psychological trauma in the workplace is gaining recognition as an important cause of workplace disability but little is known about the workers who are affected. The Psychological Trauma Program (PTP) in Toronto (Canada) is a specialized provincial worker's compensation board assessment program for workers with psychological sequelae of workplace trauma.

AIMS

To characterize workers presenting to the PTP in terms of demographic, occupational, traumatic exposure and diagnostic variables.

METHODS

A retrospective secondary analysis of all workers referred to the PTP for assessment within 1 year of traumatic event between 1999 and 2006.

RESULTS

Five hundred and thiry-one referred workers were included in the study. Most workers were working-age male (76%), married (65%) and labourers (43%). Nearly half were born outside Canada. Post-traumatic stress disorder was the primary diagnosis in 44%. Fifty-eight percent had one or more secondary diagnoses. For just over half of the workers, the traumatic event resulted in a permanent physical impairment.

CONCLUSIONS

Specialist referral may be indicated for workers experiencing prolonged recovery following workplace trauma. Male workers and those with co-morbidities or permanent injuries may be more likely to require referral. Individualized treatment approaches are likely important; however, more research is needed to guide future interventions.

Perceived vulnerability to alcohol-related harm in young adults: independent effects of risky alcohol use and drinking motives

Perceived vulnerability to negative outcomes can motivate heavy drinkers to adopt health-protective behavior, but little is known about determinants of perceived vulnerability to alcohol-related harm. University students (N = 286) were assessed to determine epidemiological risk status on a standardized problem drinking measure, typical reasons for drinking and cutting down, and perceived risk of experiencing alcohol-related harm. Results showed a positive relationship between problem drinking status and perceived risk of experiencing harm. However, at-risk drinkers believed that they were less likely to personally experience harm than comparable peers (p < .001), whereas not-at-risk drinkers showed no self-other differences in perceived vulnerability. Drinking motives significantly improved the prediction of perceived vulnerability when epidemiological risk status was controlled. Perceived vulnerability to alcohol-related harm is affected by problem drinking status and (independently) by the psychological functions that drinking serves.