O-22 Sargassum and Mental Health: A Critical Concern for Caribbean Populations

Methods: This single-center observational study was set at the University Hospital of the French Caribbean Island of Martinique. The records of patients receiving outpatient consultations of clinical toxicology from October 2021 to May 2023 were reviewed. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected. Exposure status to sargassum gaseous emissions was determined based on residential or work addresses: exposure if living and/or working in areas along Martinique coastlines impacted by sargassum influxes and non-exposure if living and/or working in the island’s center or along the non-impacted shorelines distant (25-50km) from sargassum stranding sites.

Results: Overall, 335 patients were considered (mean age: 57.2 ± 15.9 years, 64.5% women), with 72.2% living in sargassum-impacted zones. Frequent medical histories were systemic hypertension (29.5%) and asthma (13.5%). Personal and medical history characteristics were similar between exposed and unexposed patients, with seemingly higher frequencies of headache, dizziness, nausea/vomiting, and digestive discomfort (abdominal pain, diarrhea) in exposed patients (p>0.05). In terms of general and psychological status, exposed patients presented differing frequencies of asthenia (67.5%; p=0.04), weight loss (13.3%; p > 0.05) and anorexia (20.1%; p>0.05).

Conclusion: The present work confirms initial findings by our team during the massive sargassum inundation event which affected Martinique in 2018. These new findings contribute to the body of evidence sustaining a deleterious effect of sargassum gaseous emissions on the general well-being of exposed individuals, with reported physical but also psychological consequences which should be adequately addressed and managed for groups with chronic sargassum exposure.