[Clinical differences between patients consulting for occupational neurosis and common illnesses]

In Chile, occupational illnesses are defined by the "Work-related accidents and occupational illnesses law". The institutions that administer that law have the legal obligation to determine the "occupational" or "common" origin of accidents and diseases.

To compare symptoms and problems at work in a group of workers consulting for presumptive occupational neurosis (ON), distinguishing cases of OC from cases of common illness (CI).

Two consecutive series of patients were reviewed: 100 cases diagnosed as ON (71% women) and 200 cases diagnosed as CI (69% women). The general health questionnaire-30 (GHQ-30) and a questionnaire specially devised at the institution to evaluate ON were applied to participants. Social and demographic features, reasons for consulting and clinical diagnoses were compared in both types of patients.

Age, marital status, educational level and type of work were similar among patients with ON and CI. Subjects with CI had a higher frequency of depressive symptoms. The main reason to consult among patients with ON was work overload. The reasons for consulting among patients with CI were interpersonal conflicts and feeling of undervaluation.

Patients with CI are predominantly depressive and those with ON have a feeling of work overload.