Enduring Mental Health Morbidity and Social Function Impairment in World Trade Center Rescue, Recovery, and Cleanup Workers: The Psychological Dimension of an Environmental Health Disaster.
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| Title: | Enduring Mental Health Morbidity and Social Function Impairment in World Trade Center Rescue, Recovery, and Cleanup Workers: The Psychological Dimension of an Environmental Health Disaster. |
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| Authors: | Stellman, Jeanne Mager1,2, Smith, Rebecca P.1, Katz, Craig L.1, Sharma, Vansh1 vansh.sharma@mssm.edu, Charney, Dennis S.1, Herbert, Robin3, Moline, Jacqueline3, Luft, Benjamin J.4, Markowitz, Steven5, Udasin, Iris6, Harrison, Denise7, Baron, Sherry8, Landrigan, Philip J.3, Levin, Stephen M., Southwick, Steven1,9 |
| Source: | Environmental Health Perspectives. Sep2008, Vol. 116 Issue 9, p1248-1253. 6p. 3 Charts, 1 Graph. |
| Subject Terms: | *Environmental toxicology research, Emotional trauma, September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Comorbidity, Mental health |
| Company/Entity: | National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health |
| Abstract: | BACKGROUND: The World Trade Center (WTC) attacks exposed thousands of workers to hazardous environmental conditions and psychological trauma. In 2002, to assess the health of these workers, Congress directed the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to establish the WTC Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program. This program has established a large cohort of WTC rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers. We previously documented extensive pulmonary dysfunction in this cohort related to toxic environmental exposures. OBJECTIVES: Our objective in this study was to describe mental health outcomes, social function impairment, and psychiatric comorbidity in the WTC worker cohort, as well as perceived symptomatology in workers' children. METHODS: Ten to 61 months after the WTC attack, 10,132 WTC workers completed a self-administered mental health questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the workers who completed the questionnaire, 11.1% met criteria for probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 8.8% met criteria for probable depression, 5.0% met criteria for probable panic disorder, and 62% met criteria for substantial stress reaction. PTSD prevalence was comparable to that seen in returning Afghanistan war veterans and was much higher than in the U.S. general population. Point prevalence declined from 13.5% to 9.7% over the 5 years of observation. Comorbidity was extensive and included extremely high risks for impairment of social function. PTSD was significantly associated with loss of family members and friends, disruption of family, work, and social life, and higher rates of behavioral symptoms in children of workers. CONCLUSIONS: Working in 9/11 recovery operations is associated with chronic impairment of mental health and social functioning. Psychological distress and psychopathology in WTC workers greatly exceed population norms. Surveillance and treatment programs continue to be needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Environmental Health Perspectives is the property of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | GreenFILE |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: 8gh DbLabel: GreenFILE An: 34380280 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Enduring Mental Health Morbidity and Social Function Impairment in World Trade Center Rescue, Recovery, and Cleanup Workers: The Psychological Dimension of an Environmental Health Disaster. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stellman%2C+Jeanne+Mager%22">Stellman, Jeanne Mager</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Smith%2C+Rebecca+P%2E%22">Smith, Rebecca P.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Katz%2C+Craig+L%2E%22">Katz, Craig L.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sharma%2C+Vansh%22">Sharma, Vansh</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> vansh.sharma@mssm.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Charney%2C+Dennis+S%2E%22">Charney, Dennis S.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Herbert%2C+Robin%22">Herbert, Robin</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Moline%2C+Jacqueline%22">Moline, Jacqueline</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Luft%2C+Benjamin+J%2E%22">Luft, Benjamin J.</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Markowitz%2C+Steven%22">Markowitz, Steven</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Udasin%2C+Iris%22">Udasin, Iris</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Harrison%2C+Denise%22">Harrison, Denise</searchLink><relatesTo>7</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Baron%2C+Sherry%22">Baron, Sherry</searchLink><relatesTo>8</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Landrigan%2C+Philip+J%2E%22">Landrigan, Philip J.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Levin%2C+Stephen+M%2E%22">Levin, Stephen M.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Southwick%2C+Steven%22">Southwick, Steven</searchLink><relatesTo>1,9</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Environmental+Health+Perspectives%22">Environmental Health Perspectives</searchLink>. Sep2008, Vol. 116 Issue 9, p1248-1253. 6p. 3 Charts, 1 Graph. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+toxicology+research%22">Environmental toxicology research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+trauma%22">Emotional trauma</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22September+11+Terrorist+Attacks%2C+2001%22">September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Post-traumatic+stress+disorder%22">Post-traumatic stress disorder</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comorbidity%22">Comorbidity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health%22">Mental health</searchLink> – Name: SubjectCompany Label: Company/Entity Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22National+Institute+for+Occupational+Safety+%26+Health%22">National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: BACKGROUND: The World Trade Center (WTC) attacks exposed thousands of workers to hazardous environmental conditions and psychological trauma. In 2002, to assess the health of these workers, Congress directed the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to establish the WTC Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program. This program has established a large cohort of WTC rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers. We previously documented extensive pulmonary dysfunction in this cohort related to toxic environmental exposures. OBJECTIVES: Our objective in this study was to describe mental health outcomes, social function impairment, and psychiatric comorbidity in the WTC worker cohort, as well as perceived symptomatology in workers' children. METHODS: Ten to 61 months after the WTC attack, 10,132 WTC workers completed a self-administered mental health questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the workers who completed the questionnaire, 11.1% met criteria for probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 8.8% met criteria for probable depression, 5.0% met criteria for probable panic disorder, and 62% met criteria for substantial stress reaction. PTSD prevalence was comparable to that seen in returning Afghanistan war veterans and was much higher than in the U.S. general population. Point prevalence declined from 13.5% to 9.7% over the 5 years of observation. Comorbidity was extensive and included extremely high risks for impairment of social function. PTSD was significantly associated with loss of family members and friends, disruption of family, work, and social life, and higher rates of behavioral symptoms in children of workers. CONCLUSIONS: Working in 9/11 recovery operations is associated with chronic impairment of mental health and social functioning. Psychological distress and psychopathology in WTC workers greatly exceed population norms. Surveillance and treatment programs continue to be needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Environmental Health Perspectives is the property of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1289/ehp.11164 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 6 StartPage: 1248 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Environmental toxicology research Type: general – SubjectFull: Emotional trauma Type: general – SubjectFull: September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001 Type: general – SubjectFull: Post-traumatic stress disorder Type: general – SubjectFull: Comorbidity Type: general – SubjectFull: Mental health Type: general – SubjectFull: National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Enduring Mental Health Morbidity and Social Function Impairment in World Trade Center Rescue, Recovery, and Cleanup Workers: The Psychological Dimension of an Environmental Health Disaster. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Stellman, Jeanne Mager – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Smith, Rebecca P. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Katz, Craig L. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Sharma, Vansh – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Charney, Dennis S. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Herbert, Robin – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Moline, Jacqueline – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Luft, Benjamin J. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Markowitz, Steven – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Udasin, Iris – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Harrison, Denise – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Baron, Sherry – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Landrigan, Philip J. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Levin, Stephen M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Southwick, Steven IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 09 Text: Sep2008 Type: published Y: 2008 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00916765 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 116 – Type: issue Value: 9 Titles: – TitleFull: Environmental Health Perspectives Type: main |
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