Objective: In recent years, cases in which occupational health professionals find workers who have or are suspected of having pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) among the persons with poor mental health status have been reported. In this study, to investigate frequency of encounter workers with PDD with poor mental health status and support for them in workplaces, a field survey in the occupational field was conducted among psychiatrists having experience of occupational medicine.
Methods: A mail-in survey was sent to 122 psychiatrists who belonged to the Department of Psychiatry, University of Occupational and Environmental Health.
Results: Fifty-six psychiatrists responded (response rate 45.9%), among whom 36 had the experience of occupational medicine. Seven psychiatrists (20.0%) had experience of treating persons with poor mental health status who were diagnosed as having PDD, and 15 psychiatrists (42.9%) had experience of taking care of persons with poor mental health status who had not been diagnosed as having PDD, but they suspected it. Three psychiatrists (8.6%) had experience of taking care of both types of persons, while 19 psychiatrists (54.6%) had experience of taking care of one of the two types. Most frequent support in workplaces was "advice and consultation for supervisors" and "change in job content". Supports in the workplace were taken more for persons with poor mental health status who were diagnosed as having PDD than for persons who had not been diagnosed as having PDD. It was 10.5% which is utilizing the social resources of the community to support for PDD.
Conclusions: Half of the psychiatrists having the experience of occupational medicine had experience of taking care of persons diagnosed as having or suspected of having PDD, indicating that it is not rare to encounter workers with PDD in the occupational field. These findings suggest that occupational health professionals need to have a better understanding of PDD and appropriate consideration of such patients in workplaces, and be mindful about the social resources available to them.