L’objectif général était d’évaluer les éléments influençant la survenue du stress post-traumatique (TSPT) chez les sapeurs-pompiers (SP) de Lomé.

Il s’est agi d’une étude transversale, descriptive et analytique de type cas-témoins et d’analyse du contenu des discours, portant sur les TSPT et leur vécu face aux interventions psychotraumatisantes à Lomé. Ce travail a été mené du 1^er au 14 juin 2021. Deux groupes ont été constitués et un cas était apparié à un témoin.

Les SP ont été répartis en deux groupes selon qu’ils aient un TSPT constitué ou non ; d’où 40 cas appariés à 40 témoins. Le genre masculin prédominait dans le groupe des cas, soit 75 %, comme chez les témoins, soit 77,5 %. Le sex-ratio H/F était de 3 chez les cas-témoins. Globalement, l’âge moyen était de 32,4±6,1ans. En ce qui concerne la vulnérabilité personnelle, le fait d’être consciencieux, perfectionniste, avait des probabilités p=0 chacun et des OR respectivement égales à 21,3 [2,3–10,4] et 6,2 [1,4–5]. Pour le vécu du traumatisme, le sentiment de perte de contrôle et celui d’être seul à affronter les situations constituaient tous deux un risque significatif dans la survenue du TSPT avec p=0 et OR=21 [2,3–10,4] ; p=0,0001 et OR=6,4 [1,3,4] respectivement.

Le fait d’être consciencieux, avec un sentiment de perte de contrôle lors des interventions, associé à l’envie de quitter sa profession, constituait les principaux facteurs de risque liés à la survenue de l’TSPT.

The general objective was to evaluate the factors influencing the onset of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in firefighters in Lomé.

This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study of the case-control and content analysis of the discourse relating to firefighters and their experience in the face of psychotraumatic interventions in Lomé. This study was carried out from June 1 to 14, 2021. Two groups were formed: one group consisted of firefighters who presented with PTSD defined by a score greater than 51 on the QSPT with the presence of the 8 DSM V criteria; a control group made up of firefighters who did not present with PTSD. One case was matched to a control.

The firefighters were divided into 2 groups depending on whether or not they had presented with PTSD; hence 40 cases were matched to 40 controls. The male gender predominated in the case group at 75%; as in the control group, at 77.5%. The M/F sex ratio was 3/1 in the cases. Overall, the mean age was 32.4±6.1 years. With respect to personal vulnerability, being conscientious, perfectionist, they had probabilities P=0 each and ORs respectively equal to 21.3 [2.3–10.4] and 6.2 [1.4–5]. Those who demonstrated a reluctance to make requests, fear of being criticized, and excessive submission to others had probabilities P=0.0003 [1.3–4.9], P=0.0009 [1.3–5.6] and P=0 respectively, 0001 [1.4–4.9]. In terms of those experiencing trauma, both the feeling of a loss of control and that of being alone in facing situations constituted a significant risk for the onset of PTSD with P=0 and OR=21 [2.3–10.4]; P=0.0001 and OR=6.4 [1.4–4.3] respectively. In others, the desire to leave the profession, emotional exhaustion and alcohol consumption after the intervention constituted a significant risk factor in the occurrence of PTSD.

The fact of being conscientious, with a feeling of loss of control during interventions, associated with the desire to leave the profession were the main risk factors linked to the occurrence of PTSD.