Mental disorders following electrical injuries-A register-based, matched cohort study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• Electrical injuries are common in occupational and domestic settings, posing risks beyond physical harm.
• Existing literature suggests a potential link between electrical injuries and subsequent mental health conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term incidence of mental disorders following electrical injuries.
• To determine if electrical injury survivors experience a higher prevalence of mental health conditions compared to matched control groups.

Main Methods:

• A prospective matched cohort study design was employed using Danish registries.
• 14,112 electrical injury cases were identified and matched with control groups based on injury type, occupation, age, sex, and year of injury.
• Conditional Cox and logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations between electrical injuries and mental diagnoses.

Main Results:

• Electrical injuries were associated with an increased risk of several mental disorders, including 'mental disorders due to known physiological condition', 'anxiety and adjustment disorders', and 'Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)'.
• Conditions like 'Depression' showed weaker associations, while 'Somatoform disorders', 'other non-psychotic mental disorders', and 'sleep disorders' emerged over time.
• The highest risk estimates were observed in the occupation-matched cohort, indicating a significant link.

Conclusions:

• Electrical injuries can precipitate acute and long-term mental health consequences.
• While associations are evident, the absolute risk for most mental disorders following electrical injury is limited due to their rarity.