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Background: The prevalence of mental health issues among health care workers, including primary care workers, has reached concerning levels globally. The presence of the more common conditions such as the burnout syndrome and psychological distress among primary care workers in Trinidad and Tobago has not been examined. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of the burnout syndrome and psychological distress among primary care health care workers in Trinidad, as well as their associations with socio-demographic factors, workplace factors and stress coping strategies. Research Design and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 245 primary care physicians and nurses within the North West and North Central Regional Health Authorities. The Maslach Burnout Inventory, General Health Questionnaire and the Brief COPE measured outcomes through a self-administered questionnaire. Results: The overall prevalence of burnout among participants was 32.7% and 25.3% were distressed. Younger age groups (<45 years) had significant associations with both burnout [OR 2.91 (1.66-5.12)] and distress [OR 2.73 (1.48-5.04)]. Physicians were also significantly more likely to be burnt out as compared to nurses [OR 2.95 (1.69-5.14)]. Increased odds for burnout were also found for those who had no children, or less than three children, those with postgraduate qualifications or enrolled in a training programme. Spending less thanfour hours a day in leisure activities increased the odds of both burnout and psychological distress. Avoidant and emotion focused coping were significantly associated with burnout and distress. Use of religion was significantly associated with those in the non-burnout and non-distressed groups. Conclusion: The results reveal that prevalence of mental health issues is significant among primary care workers in these two settings. Individual and organizational prevention and intervention strategies can be utilized to address this issue, targeting physicians, younger workers and addressing stress coping strategies.

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The following research paper aims to examine the psychological factors that have led to road traffic collisions (RTCs) by conducting research on drivers who had been admitted to the Accident and Emergency department at four major hospitals in Trinidad as RTC cases. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in four major hospitals in Trinidad. Sample size was 900 participants admitted to the hospital as RTC cases, and the sample was selected using Daniel's formula. All 900 participants were drivers involved in an RTC and were mostly male, and majority of drivers involved in an RTC were within the age group of 30-39 years. The survey was conducted in a 3-month window between March and June 2013. The results of the survey indicated that there was a significant relationship between most of the factors and RTCs, that is, p<0.05. This indicated that the null hypotheses did not hold. Thus, there was an positive correlation. The study revealed that attitude of drivers, real driving practice and the driving knowledge possessed by the driver were associated factors for RTCs. The survey also established that factors such as stress, the lack of sleep and fatigue were also likely to be associated with RTC.

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BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study is to determine the epidemiology of road traffic collisions (RTCs) in Trinidad and Tobago by characterizing RTCs in terms of number of collisions, fatalities, victim profiles, and locations for the purpose of informing accident prevention programs. Previous studies of RTCs in Trinidad and Tobago were primarily concerned with patterns of drivers use of seat belts, road collisions as a cause of mortality in young men, and the economic burden of road collisions. Attempts were made to model road fatalities, but limited epidemiological data meant that it was difficult to determine trends or develop models. METHODS: This study determined the epidemiology of RTCs in Trinidad and Tobago over the period 2000-2011 using data collected by the Trinidad and Tobago Road Traffic Branch of the Police Service and secondary data from the Central Statistical Office. Data were analyzed using Excel, SPSS, and R statistical packages. RESULTS: Fatalities were greater among men (80%) than among women (20%) and were highest on two major freeways in Trinidad [the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway and the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway]. Most collisions occurred during the night among individuals between the ages of 15 and 44 years. Fatalities among drivers steadily increased over the study period and overtook fatalities among pedestrians, who were the group most affected in 2000. Most fatalities occurred at weekends. CONCLUSIONS: These patterns can inform (i) education programs and (ii) road and traffic control measures.