Methamphetamine exposure and chronic illness in police officers
| Autor: | Gerald H. Ross, Marie A. Sternquist |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2011 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male sauna medicine.medical_specialty Health Toxicology and Mutagenesis medicine.medical_treatment Population Behavioral Symptoms Toxicology Article Occupational safety and health Methamphetamine Steam Bath contamination Detoxification (alternative medicine) Occupational Exposure medicine Humans Medical nutrition therapy chemical exposure detoxification education Psychiatry Exercise Occupational Health Retrospective Studies education.field_of_study police business.industry Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Law enforcement Retrospective cohort study Middle Aged Health Surveys Mental health Mental Health Treatment Outcome Chronic Disease Female business Medical literature |
| Zdroj: | Toxicology and Industrial Health |
| ISSN: | 1477-0393 0748-2337 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/0748233711425070 |
| Popis: | Background: The medical literature reports health hazards for law enforcement personnel from repeated exposure to methamphetamine and related chemical compounds. Most effects appear transitory, but some Utah police officers with employment-related methamphetamine exposures developed chronic symptoms, some leading to disability. This report is of an uncontrolled retrospective medical chart evaluation of symptomatic officers treated with a sauna detoxification protocol designed to reduce the chronic symptoms and improve the quality of life. Methods: Sixty-nine officers consecutively entering the Utah Meth Cops Project were assessed before and after a treatment program involving gradual exercise, comprehensive nutritional support and physical sauna therapy. Evaluations included pre- and post-treatment scores of the Research and Development Corporation (RAND) 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) in comparison with RAND population norms, pre- and post-treatment symptom score intensities, neurotoxicity scores, Mini-Mental Status Examination, presenting symptom frequencies and a structured evaluation of treatment program safety. Results: Statistically significant health improvements were seen in the SF-36 evaluations, symptom scores and neurotoxicity scores. The detoxification protocol was well tolerated, with a 92.8% completion rate. Conclusions: This investigation strongly suggests that utilizing sauna and nutritional therapy may alleviate chronic symptoms appearing after chemical exposures associated with methamphetamine-related law enforcement activities. This report also has relevance to addressing the apparent ill effects of other complex chemical exposures. In view of the positive clinical outcomes in this group, broader investigation of this sauna-based treatment regimen appears warranted. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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