Physical and mental health symptoms among NYC transit workers seven and one-half months after the WTC attacks

Background On September 11, 2001, 600–800 New York City transit (NYCT) workers were working near the World Trade Center (WTC) Towers. After the disaster, employees reported physical and mental health symptoms related to the event. Methods Two hundred sixty‐nine NYC transit employees were surveyed fo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of industrial medicine 2005-06, Vol.47 (6), p.475-483
Main Authors: Tapp, Loren C., Baron, Sherry, Bernard, Bruce, Driscoll, Richard, Mueller, Charles, Wallingford, Ken
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Cross-Sectional Studies
depression
Depression - epidemiology
Dust
Female
Health Surveys
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Miscellaneous
mucous membrane
New York City - epidemiology
Occupational Health
Occupational medicine
Prevalence
PTSD
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
respiratory
Respiratory Tract Diseases - epidemiology
Risk Factors
September 11 Terrorist Attacks - psychology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology
Surveys and Questionnaires
terrorist attacks
Time Factors
transit workers
Transportation - manpower
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Summary:Background On September 11, 2001, 600–800 New York City transit (NYCT) workers were working near the World Trade Center (WTC) Towers. After the disaster, employees reported physical and mental health symptoms related to the event. Methods Two hundred sixty‐nine NYC transit employees were surveyed for mental and physical health symptoms 7½ months after the WTC disaster. Results Workers in the dust cloud at the time of the WTC collapse had significantly higher risk of persistent lower respiratory (OR = 9.85; 95% CI: 2.24, 58.93) and mucous membrane (OR = 4.91; 95% CI: 1.53, 16.22) symptoms, depressive symptoms (OR = 2.48; 95% CI: 1.12, 5.51), and PTSD symptoms (OR = 2.91; 95% CI: 1.003, 8.16) compared to those not exposed to the dust cloud. Additional WTC exposures and potential confounders were also analyzed. Conclusions Clinical follow up for physical and psychological health conditions should be provided for public transportation workers in the event of a catastrophic event. Am. J. Ind. Med. 47:475–483, 2005. Published 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:0271-3586
1097-0274
DOI:10.1002/ajim.20177